Event Preview: ADIPEC 2023

Hosted in Abu Dhabi by ADNOC, and taking place from 2-5 October 2023, ADIPEC is an international platform convening global energy producers, consumers and innovators to accelerate game-changing solutions and transformational progress towards decarbonisation and the future of energy. Christopher Hudson, President of dmg events, organisers of the show, shared with Inside Oil & Gas what visitors can expect. Questions by Jasmine Lodge.

What makes ADIPEC special this year?
ADIPEC has evolved considerably over the years. Today, we build on our nearly 40-year legacy of innovation and evolution, with a bolder vision and stronger purpose to support the energy industry and wider ecosystem in its efforts to transition towards greater sustainability. Under the overarching theme, ‘Decarbonising. Faster. Together.’, ADIPEC 2023 seeks to unite industries to accelerate the urgent action and game-changing solutions needed to decarbonise quicker and future-proof the global energy system.
For four days, ADIPEC will convene some of the brightest minds from across the energy value chain and beyond – including government, private enterprise stakeholders, technology, academia and finance – to ignite the innovative and disruptive thinking needed to tackle the world’s most pressing energy challenges.
And with ADIPEC 2023 taking place less than two months before the UAE hosts the 28th United Nations Conference of Parties (COP28), our event is uniquely placed to offer a global stage to address some of those critical issues from across the energy ecosystem and focus on moving the needle forward towards securing sustainable energy for all.

How have you been preparing for ADIPEC 2023?
ADIPEC consistently strives to be a force for transformation and leadership, offering a platform for the industry, by the industry. Through continued discussions with key industry stakeholders – including the ADIPEC 2023 Executive Committee – we have identified specific challenges the energy industry needs to be advanced, including reducing methane emissions, supporting the decarbonisation of heavy industries and facilitating finance and investment in low-carbon energy and clean technology.
Reflecting this, ADIPEC’s themes and programme have been designed to bring together the ideas, ambition, technology and capital needed to address some of these critical issues and drive energy progress on the path to net zero. They are focused on facilitating collaboration and innovation, to enable diverse actors to unify around a common cause and empower them to share ideas, co-operate and build the momentum needed to create the energy system of the future.
These key industry challenges will be addressed across 10 strategic and technical conferences and more than 350 sessions, where more than 1,600 speakers will share diverse perspectives and approaches, forge collaborations and explore the strategies and innovations critical to accelerating a cleaner, more secure energy future.

How is ADIPEC responding to industry needs in this rapidly changing and challenging energy environment?
ADIPEC’s central focus on decarbonisation reflects the need for energy and related sectors to reduce their carbon emissions in support of the global energy transition. As part of our commitment to that, we have developed enriched conference and exhibition offerings to enable a secure and sustainable energy future.
This includes the new ADIPEC Decarbonisation Accelerator, a specialised exhibition area that enables organisations to showcase their game-changing projects and solutions driving decarbonisation at scale. Within the Accelerator, a dedicated Start-up Hub will host pioneers presenting groundbreaking technologies that drive the future of decarbonisation and accelerate energy progress.
Complementary to that, we have introduced the new Decarbonisation Connect initiative to facilitate connections on the show floor by showcasing exhibitors’ decarbonisation strategies and innovations through dedicated spaces and presentations. To increase engagement, we are also developing the Decarbonisation Guide, featuring exhibitors’ decarbonisation products and solutions and a schedule of exhibitor presentations during the event.
Recognising the importance of the maritime sector – which supports the transportation of 90% of all traded goods – ADIPEC 2023 has broadened its focus on the wider maritime and logistics industries. We have launched a dedicated hall to host our expanded Maritime & Logistics Zone and dedicated Maritime & Logistics Strategic and Technical Conferences. The zone will connect the global maritime and logistics supply chain with leading experts in energy and technology driving lower-carbon solutions while maintaining sustainable growth, while the conferences will gather industry leaders, regulators and decision-makers from across the shipping and logistics supply chain to engage in technical and strategic dialogue around decarbonisation and digital innovation.
These new offerings, alongside our expanded youth programme, Hydrogen Strategic Conference and all new ADIPEC Awards categories, support the global energy transition by focusing the wider industry’s attention on key needs and issues. Proof of ADIPEC’s responsiveness and relevance to industry’s needs can be seen in the fact that we had our highest-ever number of submissions for our Technical and Downstream Technical Conferences, and a record number of submissions for our ADIPEC Awards.

What are the top-line issues for energy and energy-related companies this year?
Energy industry volatility, climate change-related commitments, persistent global conflicts, and record levels of inflation are among some of the many challenges currently being faced by the global energy ecosystem. At the same time, energy and its related industries, like manufacturing and transport, face growing pressure to reduce emissions outputs through improved efficiency and use of cleaner fuels; secure investment for research and development for cleaner products and services; and ensure the continuity of the company’s commitment to sustainability through training and development of its workforce.
While the issues faced by the energy ecosystem are manifold, as an inclusive platform convening countries, governments and policymakers, ADIPEC has created an event programme and setting to enable participants to engage in inclusive dialogue, foster collaboration and work collectively to find solutions. Some of the timely topics of focus in our conference programme include reinforcing regulatory systems to guide and accelerate emissions reduction, decarbonising end-use and heavy industries to facilitate discussion and resolution, and navigating safety and sustainability for hydrogen.
In the same vein, we have introduced all new ADIPEC Awards categories reflecting topics of importance to a sustainable and inclusive energy transition, like hydrogen, decarbonisation at scale, clean-tech and sustainable energy for the developing world. Like previous editions, the awards focus on celebrating the pioneers in industry who are implementing the projects and programmes that are helping to scale up, innovate, and support the changes needed in the energy sector and beyond.

What can visitors expect to see on the show floor at ADIPEC 2023?
More than 2,200 companies from across the entire energy value chain will exhibit at ADIPEC’s 15 exhibition halls, which include four specialised exhibition areas – the Decarbonisation Accelerator, Maritime & Logistics Zone, Digitalisation in Energy Zone, and Manufacturing & Industrialisation Exhibition & Conference. Additionally, the 30 dedicated country pavilions at ADIPEC 2023 will highlight each country’s latest innovations and best practices, offering a platform for global collaboration and innovation.
ADIPEC’s strategic conference programmes have been curated to focus on important topics like hydrogen, decarbonisation, manufacturing and industrialisation, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), and the development of future leaders. The technical conference programme has been designed to demonstrate cutting-edge technical and engineering insights that will drive ideas, overcome challenges, create new value and highlight innovation.

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