This time I went to Dubaï for real, taking part to a conference of the World Bank Group’s Middle-East North Africa Concentrating Solar Power Knowledge and Innovation programme – call it simply « WBG MENA CSP KIP programme ». The conference was co-hosted with Dubaï Energy and Water Authority (DEWA). I had the priviledge to share the views of the International Energy Agency (IEA) on the role of CSP in the clean energy transition (see picture), right after the organisers introductory speeches.
The audience came from various MENA countries, in particular Jordan and Tunisia as the WBG has focussed efforts int these two countries. Speakers also came from Chile, China, Germany, Morocco, South Africa, Spain and the USA.
This provides me with an opportunity to revisit the announcement of the agreement between DEWA and ACWA Group, which explains the choice of Dubai for the second broad meeting of this World Bank’s programme (the first took place in Ouarzazat, Morocco).