In particular, China’s National Energy Administration (NEA)’s decision to send a ministerial-level delegation to the event for the first time is prompting an unprecedented turnout from Chinese energy companies.
The World Energy Congress is the most important event on the global energy calendar this year. Held every three years, it will be in Daegu from October 13-17.
In all the Congress is expected to host up to 4,000 delegates from around the world, organizers said. As of Monday, 3,443 delegates from 103 countries had registered.
Explaining the attraction of the event to the global energy sector, Cho Hwan-eik, Chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2013 World Energy Congress, said: “As it covers the whole energy spectrum, the Congress gives energy ministers from around the world a rare opportunity to share their experience and swap ideas. In addition, international business leaders are able to discuss with regulators, as well as network in a way to explore opportunities and generates new developments.”
Russian Minister of Energy Alexander Nowak will lead a delegation that will include the ministries of Natural Resources and Environment, and of Foreign Affairs, as well as major companies such as Gazprom, Transneft, Rosneft, RusHydro, and the State Atomic Energy Corporation. The Russians are planning a “Day of Russia” event on the sidelines of the Congress.
To date, with almost 300 delegates registered, the Chinese delegation is the largest, after the local Korean delegation. With 166 officials and business leaders signed up as of Wednesday, the Japanese delegation has already exceeded its own forecast of 150 participants.
Organizers expect around 250 media to attend, with hundreds more covering remotely. To date, seventy-eight Korean and 70 international reporters have registered, including CNN, CNBC, Bloomberg, Dow Jones, and Reuters, and energy specialized publications.
More than 238 prominent speakers from 65 countries, including energy ministers, industry CEOs and top experts and researchers, will answer the most pressing questions facing the global energy industry today
Ninety-one companies from 23 countries will have stands at the Congress exhibition. Russia, China, and Japan, and the United Arab Emirates will be holding special events.
Under the theme of ‘Securing Tomorrow’s Energy Today’, topics range from the future prospects of the oil & gas, coal, nuclear, and renewables sectors to the tough policy decisions needed to balance the often conflicting priorities of energy security, universal access to affordable energy, and environmental protection. Delegates will also be given insights into how finance and innovation are shaping our energy future.
“Such are the complexities and uncertainties, there’s a sense of being at a global tipping point in energy,” said Christoph Frei, Secretary-General of the London-based World Energy Council, which runs the triennial event.
“Shale gas is having a huge impact. There’s a delinking of oil and gas prices, huge dynamism in the price of renewables, huge uncertainty in the CO2 price, and huge uncertainty in the energy-food-water nexus. The world is at a crucial point in negotiations regarding the CO2 price and, linked to that, the use or non-use of carbon capture and storage. Also, we face the need to re-design the institutions for nuclear safety. Also important, is the shift of demand to Asia, as well as the integration of China into global energy institutions.
