World Energy Congress Daegu 2013

 

The 22nd World Energy Congress, held in Daegu City for five days from October 13, is expected to become a forum for in-depth discussions on a wide range of energy issues, including those associated with petroleum, coal, natural gas, nuclear energy and new and renewable energy.

This year’s congress, which has the theme of ‘Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today,’ is slated to cover every energy-related issue of today and define the problems of energy security, the imbalance in the demand and supply of energy sources and their impacts on natural environments as the trilemma of the industry while trying to seek solutions to it from a variety of perspectives. Up to now, more than 238 global leaders have promised their participation as speakers, including energy sector ministers from all around the world, heads of influential international organizations and regional development bank governors.

They are going to exchange their opinions and views on energy security for sustainable power supply, the direction of nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima disaster and technological innovation such as the development of new power transmission systems, too. In addition, the World Energy Scenario 2050 report is scheduled to be made available by the World Energy Council to give a look at the current status of power generation facilities and infrastructure worldwide, the latest global trend in the industry and the impact they potentially have on the environment.

“Our discussion topics at this time include the diversification of investment methods, uncertainty of the carbon price, future outlook of the alternative energy and atomic power sectors, emergence of new business models and the separation of oil prices from gas prices,” said Dr. Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the organization.

The conference takes place every three years, hosted by the World Energy Council with approximately 3,000 members located in 92 countries. During the course of its 90-year history, only two Asian countries have had the honor of attracting the event -- India in 1983 and Japan in 1995. It is expected to be the largest international conference in Korea held this year with more than 5,000 energy sector leaders, experts and entrepreneurs, government officials, academic personnel and many more joining it from over 140 countries all across the world.

The organizing committee for World Energy Congress Daegu 2013 has recently said that a large number of entities both at home and abroad are counting themselves in as the opening is coming closer. According to it, about 3,440 participants in 103 countries have put their names on the list as of September 16 and the figures are at least 26% larger when compared to the past congress in Montreal, Canada three years ago.

In particular, China is planning to send more than 300 official guests, led by the National Energy Administration (NEA), to outnumber all of the other nations except for Korea. It is going to run the China Pavilion during the industrial exhibition which coincides with the congress, too.

When it comes to Russia, Energy Minister Alexander Novak is scheduled to join the event along with his colleagues at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the like to launch a special session titled Focus Russia, in which they will have in-depth talks on the energy policy direction of the country. The state-run natural gas company Gazprom, oil pipeline company Transneft and oil developer Rosneft also take part with RusHydro, the largest hydraulic power generation company in Russia, and the State Atomic Energy Corporation as well.

The entry also includes Saudi Aramco, Algeria’s government-owned petroleum company Sonatrach, Brazil’s Petrobras, Italy’s largest oil company Eni, France’s AREVA SA, Exxon Mobil, Alstom, Siemens, etc. They are eager to show off their top-notch and innovative energy technologies at the venue during the period.

“The petroleum and natural gas issues are the very core of the paradigm shift in today’s energy industry and are very closely connected with such matters as energy security and carbon emissions reduction,” chair of the organizing committee Jo Hwan-ik explained. He added, “All of us are anticipating that the congress will be a focal point around which global energy leaders ponder upon the world’s energy roadmap for the future.”

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