ADIPEC Day 2 puts energy infrastructure and resilience in focus

Day 2 of ADIPEC 2026 in Abu Dhabi centered on the infrastructure, supply chains and storage needed to meet rising global energy demand. Ministers, CEOs and industry leaders said delivery capacity, resilience and international coordination will be critical as electrification, AI and industrial growth reshape power needs.

Why it matters: - Rising electricity use from electrification, urban growth and AI is pushing energy systems to expand faster and operate more reliably. - The discussions framed infrastructure delivery as a core energy security issue, not just a construction challenge. - Resilient grids, storage and diversified supply chains are becoming central to how countries and companies plan for future demand.

What happened: - Day 2 of ADIPEC 2026 in Abu Dhabi brought together ministers, CEOs and industry leaders to focus on the physical infrastructure behind the global energy system. - Sessions examined grids, transmission networks, storage facilities, supply chains and industrial infrastructure. - The event ran from 2–5 November under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and was hosted by ADNOC. - ADIPEC says the 2026 edition will welcome 239,000 attendees, 2,260+ exhibitors and 1,800+ speakers.

The details: - In the ministerial panel “Beyond borders: can national energy strategies deliver a connected global system?”, leaders discussed how national energy priorities can align with a more connected and secure global energy system. - Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi said collaboration and partnership are necessary to unlock and deliver more energy. - Siemens Energy CEO Christian Bruch said resilient energy systems require better understanding of local manufacturing, strategic storage and how global supply chains can function during disruption. - Schneider Electric CEO Olivier Blum said digital technologies and emerging AI tools can help utilities and operators better match supply with demand, improve performance and use energy more efficiently. - Blum said electricity generation must rise as demand continues to grow from electrification, expanding cities and electric vehicles. - In the session “AI-driven energy demand: planning infrastructure for an accelerating growth curve,” AVEVA CEO Caspar Herzberg said AI power demand is rising quickly while other infrastructure is moving more slowly. - Baker Hughes Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Simonelli said companies need multiple supply sources and cannot depend on single choke points. - The exhibition featured companies across the energy value chain, including infrastructure, diversified supply, digitalisation, lower-carbon technologies, maritime and logistics. - Thirty country pavilions highlighted national investment opportunities and industrial capabilities. - Four specialised zones gave operators, suppliers and project owners a place to review solutions aimed at making energy systems more integrated and competitive. - Strategic Leadership Roundtables in the Global Energy Club focused on infrastructure delivery, capital mobilisation and supply continuity.

Between the lines: - The day’s message was that energy shortages and reliability risks will be shaped as much by delivery bottlenecks as by production levels. - AI is now influencing energy planning directly by accelerating power demand and forcing faster coordination across utilities, infrastructure builders and suppliers. - The emphasis on local manufacturing, storage and supply-chain redundancy suggests a shift toward more regional resilience alongside global connectivity.

What's next: - Day 3 will shift to technologies that can make energy infrastructure more intelligent, efficient and resilient. - Sessions are set to examine how AI, automation and advanced analytics can reshape planning and operations. - The broader ADIPEC program continues in Abu Dhabi through 5 November with a focus on capital, technology and partnerships.