Press release: for immediate publication 8 Dec 2016
African Utility Week returns to Cape Town in May and showcases how
community scale proj ects are the continent’s energy future
Expo and conference to focus on major industry trends
“The power and energy landscape in Africa is undergoing significant
change” says Evan Schiff, African Utility Week event director,
adding that current trends include “the availability of private
investment for power and energy projects, the fast development of
energy storage, renewable energy is becoming cheaper, gas that is an
increasingly attractive mode of power generation in Africa, and that
in the next 10 years, nuclear will become an increasingly important
mode of base-load power generation.”
The investment, trade and development opportunities in the
sub-Saharan Africa’s electricity sector are estimated at $835
billion of capital investment, $490 billion for generation capacity
and $345 billion for infrastructure.
Real world doers share their expertise
The 17th annual African Utility Week is the leading conference and
trade exhibition for African power, energy and water professionals
and takes place from 16-18 May 2017 at the CTICC in Cape Town. The
event will gather over 7000 decision makers from more than 40
countries to source the latest solutions and meet over 300
suppliers. Along with multiple side events and numerous networking
functions the event also boasts a seven track conference with over
300 expert speakers.
The conference programme will once again address the latest
challenges, developments and opportunities in the power and water
sectors: ranging from generation, T&D, metering, technology and
water. These include two exclusive plenary keynote sessions
featuring the most sought-after international speakers. Says Evan:
“we are known for consistently gathering a group of industry elite
real world doers who share their expertise from grid to socket, best
practices for effective power and water supply. Once again, we will
not disappoint.”
KPMG is diamond sponsor
Already leading global advisory firm KPMG has confirmed that it is
returning to African Utility Week, this time as its exclusive
diamond sponsorship. “KPMG’s commitment to create agile utilities in
the energy sector across Sub-Saharan Africa, has motivated the firm
to take up a diamond sponsorship opportunity at the 2017 African
Utility Week” says Ahmed Jaffer, Chairman of KPMG in South Africa
and the Head of Power and Utilities. He adds: “African Utility Week
is a great platform that attracts key decision makers within the
sector.”
The African Utility Week expo offers an extensive technical
programme sessions that are CPD accredited, free to attend, hands-on
presentations that take place in defined spaces on the exhibition
floor. They discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best
practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users
and utilities can implement in their daily operations.
New platform: Energy Revolution Africa
“Another strong trend in the sector” says Evan Schiff “is that the
energy consumer is becoming more aware of their environment and how
their power is generated and distributed, whether they are a
residential home, a mine, a village, a shopping centre or
manufacturing plant. Cleaner, more affordable energy generating
options will increasingly become the norm rather than the exception.
All these factors will mean that the utility as we know it will not
look the same within 10 years… change will happen. We are therefore
launching Energy Revolution Africa, a new platform for community
scale projects.”
Energy Revolution Africa will provide a unique forum for solution
providers to meet with the new energy purchasers such as metros and
municipalities, IPPs, rural electrification project developers and
large power users, including mines, commercial property developers
and industrial manufacturers. The latest innovations and projects in
the sectors of renewables, future technology, energy efficiency,
micro/off-grid and energy storage will be showcased”.
More side events as part of the African Utility Week platform
include:
African Power Finance & Investment Forum: Financiers and project
owners will hear from expert speakers who will identify the key
trends impacting project finance in regional energy markets with
updates on and insights into market opportunities, sources of
capital, financing instruments and access to project finance. A
featured session on regional power integration will explore new
methods of developing cross-border power projects on a PPP basis,
explore the opportunities for investors, and show how regional power
integration can substantially save capital investment costs.
The Gas-to-Power World Congress reflects the continuing
transformation of the energy ecosystem in Africa and beyond. Gas and
renewables are perfect partners to help address an array of future
energy challenges, including climate change, energy security and
energy finance, currently three of the world’s largest and most
important challenges. The event will look at new business and
investment opportunities in gas-to-power, energy infrastructure,
FSRU, LPG and LNG.
The Utility CEO Forum is held as a 3-day by invitation only board
meeting alongside African Utility Week, where the men and women who
lead and guide Africa’s power and water sectors discuss the path of
transformation. Discussions centre on areas of co-operation,
development plans and the advancement of regional centres of
excellence throughout Africa.
The Nuclear Power Africa Conference features expert speakers who
will address the myths and realities, latest technologies,
regulatory and financing challenges and the economic spin offs
created by a nuclear new build programme. Nuclear stakeholders and
prospective suppliers will gain first hand insights into prospects
for new jobs, training programmes, and the business opportunities
created by the localisation of the supply chain of a nuclear new
build.
The fourth edition of the African Utility Week Power Industry Awards
brings together 800 of Africa’s most renowned power and water
industry professionals. The Power Industry Awards is the leading
gathering to recognise, reward and celebrate the successes of
Africa’s power and water sectors during 2016/17.
Africa Utilities Technology Council: Telecommunications/ICT
conference track programme to be presented that will cover topics
such as: IT/OT convergence, IPnetworks and utility telecoms network
performance measures. The AUTC content will continue in three
dedicated sessions – one each in the T&D, Metering and Water tracks
of the main strategic conference.
- Power Africa - Women in Power Lunch
- West African Investment Breakfast Briefing
- East African Investment Breakfast Briefing
Industry support
Apart from KPMG’s diamond sponsorship, long-running supporters and
industry stalwarts EPG and Landis+Gyr are also back as platinum
sponsors while Conlog, Poweroad, Vodacom and Sensus are gold
sponsors again.
African Utility Week and Energy Revolution Africa are organised by
Spintelligent, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and
conference organiser, and the African office of Clarion Events Ltd,
based in the UK. Other flagship events in Spintelligent’s power
portfolio are East African Power Industry Convention (EAPIC), West
African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC), iPAD Rwanda Power &
Mining Investment Forum and iPAD Cameroon Energy & Infrastructure
Forum.
Dates for African Utility Week and Energy Revolution Africa:
Conference and expo: 16-18 May 2017
Awards gala dinner: 17 May 2016
Site visits: 19 May 2016
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Websites: http://www.african-utility-week.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities
Linkedin: African Power Forum
Contact:
Senior communications manager: Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone: +27 21 700 3558
mobile: +27 82 562 7844
Email:
annemarie.roodbol@spintelligent.com
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