Staff Writer
Abu Dhabi brought global energy leaders together for ADIPEC 2025, where discussions focused on rising demand and the future of the sector. Opening the event, Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, welcomed thousands of attendees and delivered a message centred on urgency.
Al Jaber said ADIPEC has become the platform “where facts come into focus” and where the future of energy is shaped through direct dialogue and investment-driven action. He highlighted the pressures created by shifting geopolitics, volatile markets and increasing complexity. He said electricity demand will climb sharply through 2040 as data centre needs quadruple, 1.5 billion people move into cities and more than 2 billion air conditioners come online. He added that aviation is heading for major expansion, with the global airline fleet expected to double from 25 000 to 50 000 aircraft.
These trends will push up demand across all major energy sources. Renewables are expected to more than double, LNG will grow by 50%, and jet fuel demand will rise by more than 30%. Oil consumption will remain above 100 million barrels per day beyond 2040, with more of it used for materials as well as mobility. Al Jaber said these realities show the world is not undergoing a simple energy transition but rather energy addition, expanding all forms of energy to keep up with global needs.
ADIPEC 2025 closed with record activity. The event facilitated US$46 billion in cross-sector deals and drew 239 709 attendees, a 17% increase from 2024. It generated an estimated US$400 million for Abu Dhabi’s hospitality, tourism and transport sectors.
Several themes stood out during discussions. Energy efficiency was identified as a major missed opportunity, with retrofitting projects showing the ability to cut energy use by an average of 40%, and in some African regions up to 50%. Leaders said these savings reflect lost energy that, if reclaimed, could strengthen national energy security.
Minerals are becoming central to electricity supply chains. African energy leaders stressed the need for beneficiation to create higher-value products and local jobs. Countries across the continent are advancing petroleum development, with 1 033 km of the 1 443 km EACOP pipeline now complete. Montenegro has 65 pending projects that could increase production by 600%. In North America, 85% of US facilities are in the EPC phase.
Canada’s Nova Scotia is exploring how to develop and export its 44 trillion cubic feet of natural gas through upgraded infrastructure.
