Conference explores smart ways to manage water, energy systems

Muscat, April 30 - The fourth edition of Oman Energy and Water Conference and Exhibition, themed “Smart Management of Energy and Water Systems”, kicked off on Monday at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre under the auspices of HH Sayyid Taimur bin Asaad al Said, Assistant Secretary-General for Communication at The Research Council, in the presence of top officials from the government and the private sector utility companies. The event which continues till May 2 is organised by the Public Authority for Electricity and Water (Diam) in partnership with Omanexpo. It is a comprehensive platform for about 150 top names in the power, water and wastewater sectors to be in direct contact with industry decision makers. Mohammed bin Abdulla al Mahrouqi, CEO of Diam, said the event aims to showcase the Sultanate’s major multi-million power and water projects, support the government’s long-term energy and water infrastructure plan, attract public, private and foreign investment, and present business opportunities in order to fulfil the rising demand for these resources. In his opening speech, Dr Ali bin Hamed al Ghafri, Assistant Chairman for International Relations, said the event is considered an opportunity for specialists to meet with their counterparts in the sectors of energy, water and sanitation to exchange visions that would push these sectors to the wider horizons in accordance with the rapid changes experienced by the world in these areas. “Since the beginning of the blessed Renaissance, the Sultanate has been keen, under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, to pay attention to the energy, water and sanitation sectors because of their importance in the development process. Those fields were always focused on in the successive five-year plans in terms of developing programmes and expansion and development projects supporting these sectors,” he said, mentioning that the Sultanate deals with the challenges through strengthening its infrastructure; adopting alternative sources and diversify them. “During the past years, the Sultanate has become a home of expertise as a result of the accumulation of experience gained from the management and operation of these sectors. Consecutively, we have considered, when preparing the topics for this conference, to include the Sultanate’s experience in the field,” he added. The conference discusses 60 papers of studies and researches from specialists of local, Gulf, Arab and international companies, as well as manufacturers and operators who debate on restructuring these sectors. It also looks into the Sultanate’s plans to benefit from renewable sources of energy and offer opportunities for waste exploitation in producing energy, in addition to the strategies of generators competency, sustainable management of water resources and efficiency of production and consumption. Also, it highlights multiple uses of modern technology and programmes in managing such sectors. The accompanied exhibition showcases products of local as well as international companies from about 15 countries. To enrich the exhibitor and the visitor experience, organizers have set up an online business matchmaking platform that allows fast and convenient access to information about participating companies, products, services and company recommendations. Zainab al Nassri — Photos by Khalfan al Tobi