Digital Energy Festival to fuel six weeks of inspiring energy engagement for Africa

Clarion Events’ leading energy events and media join forces

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA, October 8, 2020 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Digital Energy Festival for Africa kicks off on 20 October when four of Clarion Events’ leading energy brands join forces with an unprecedented six-week tour de force of quality content and engagement from one point of entry, making it the largest ever energy event for the African continent.

The organisers of Africa Energy Forum, African Utility Week & POWERGEN Africa and the Oil & Gas Council’s Africa Assembly and the leading energy journal ESI Africa will jointly host the Digital Energy Festival from 20 October to 26 November 2020.

Several other Clarion Events' market-leading trade publications are also partners in the digital offering, including Smart Energy International, Power Engineering International, Renewable Energy World, Hydro Review and Mining Review Africa.

Over 5,000 attendees are expected to register for the festival, which will employ AI technology to match attendees with relevant content and networking opportunities for a personalised event experience over the six-week period. As well as over 120 programme experiences the event will also feature an online marketplace of products hosted by sponsors and exhibitors. The event will be marketed to a combined energy database of over 200,000.

Inspired by 5th Industrial Revolution
Amidst the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy sector in Africa, the organisers of the Digital Energy Festival seek to address critical issues such as pivoting to digital, new financial models and innovative power generation sources to allow attendees to make decisions and formulate recovery plans.

Africa Energy Forum organiser EnergyNet’s MD Simon Gosling says he was inspired by Pratik Gauri’s vision of the 5th Industrial Revolution as the overriding theme for their sessions. Gauri is a World Economic Forum Global Shaper.

“We are looking at the role of energy in social economic development,” he explains, “and how we can be more profitable by being more responsible and so attract new investors.”

“In a continent that is so polarised by energy access, we want to highlight the new ways of seeking investments, which will come out of the private sector and the multilaterals who are investing in the purpose of investments. Looking at it through a gender lens, new technologies and efficiencies so decreasing carbon footprints, trying to marry that purpose and profit balance.”

The show will go on
Chanelle Hingston is the Group Director, Power & Energy at Clarion Events Africa, the organisers of the award-winning African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria and the Utility CEO Forums for the last 20 years.

“It is inspiring to be part of such a unique joint venture with two other leading players in the energy events sector. Each one of us as event organisers has a strong team with a different and distinctive focus on the many-faceted energy sector. For example, we are well known for always gathering world-class experts for our water-focused discussions as part of our event.”

“Since the start of the pandemic we have had to postpone our live event twice but, along with our partners and customers, we have fully embraced the digital tools available to us to keep the conversation going.”

Unique partnership
Iain Pitt is the founder of the Oil & Gas Council’s Africa Assembly: “Reflecting the significance of Africa to our membership, we have developed a unique partnership that offers the opportunity for valuable connections, which are as close to the real world as possible. Building integrated energy businesses with production, cash flow and development pipelines has never been more important in Africa.”

DIGITAL ENERGY FESTIVAL FOR AFRICA highlights

The Africa Energy Forum:
- Ministers Roundtable with confirmed attendance from ministers from Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Morocco, Uganda, and São Tomé & Príncipe.
- Fireside chat with Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and UN Special Representative to the Secretary General for Sustainable Energy for All.
- South Africa Country Spotlights with Eskom & the IPP Office
- AfDB “Utility of the Future” Competition
- African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) Solar Awards

For more info on and registration for the Africa Energy Forum, click here

The Oil & Gas Council:
- Digital Dialogue Investment Focus – what next for African Oil & Gas?
- Digital Dialogue: There is no future for frontier exploration
- Fireside chat: Ayotola Jagun, Chief Compliance Officer and Company Secretary, Oando
- Fireside chat: Fathima Hussain, Managing Director, Oil & Gas Corporate Finance, Standard Chartered Bank
- Digital Dialogue: Exploration & Production - is it too late for Africa to profit from its resources?

For more info on and registration for The Oil & Gas Council, click here

African Utility Week & POWERGEN Africa:
- The virtual opening keynote will focus on private sector participation in the African power sector.
- Fireside discussion with Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa.
- Utility CEO Forum: Pan-Africa and Municipal Leaders Forum.
- “Women in Energy” panel of CEOs sharing advice and discussing the challenges on their journey to C-level.
- “Doing Business in Africa” series with special focus on Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Uganda and Senegal, opened by Dr. Albert Butare, Former Rwandan Minister of State In Charge of Energy, Water and Communication and CEO, Africa Energy Services Group Ltd, Rwanda.

For more information on African Utility Week & POWERGEN Africa, click here

Registration for Digital African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is free.

ESI Africa’s programme and speaker highlights:
- Digital Dialogue: Unpacking South Africa’s 2,500MW “no regret” nuclear decision
- Digital Dialogue: The Role of Nuclear in the Green Energy Future
- Digital Dialogue: Guide to Wheeling Frameworks as a Realistic Energy Solution
- Digital Dialogue: The African mini-grid market - Progress and obstacles
- Digital Dialogue: Balancing Act - Negotiating Tenable PPAs for IPPs and Private Buyers

Clarion Energy
The UK-based Clarion Events Group’s Clarion Energy Series runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of the group’s largest portfolios.

Annemarie Roodbol
Clarion Events Limited
+27 21 700 3558
email us here