JEDDAH: Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal and Minister of Water and Electricity Abdullah Al-Hussayen will open the Saudi Water and Power Forum (SWPF) 2009 on Oct. 11.
The four-day forum will have high profile speakers including World Bank Director Jamal Saghir, SWCC Gov. Fehied Fahad Al-Shareef, Steve Bolze, SVP, GE, and president and CEO of power and water, GE Energy, Author Fred Pearce, and Electricity and Cogeneration Regulatory Authority Gov. Dr. Fareed Zedan.
Other speakers include Ahmad A. Al-Sa’adi, VP, pipelines, distribution and terminals, Saudi Aramco, Deputy Minister for Electricity Saleh Alawaji, Saudi Electricity Company President Ali Saleh Al-Barrak, Siemens AG VP for Concentrated Solar Power Siegfried Fischeer, and Mahmoud Y. Fallatah, director, corporate projects, NWC.
Key topics for discussion include strategies for efficient and sustainable power and water production, opportunities in the improvement and upgrade of existing assets, impact of the global financial crisis on prospects for alternative energy sources for utilities, demand management, tariff policy and consumer relations, water re-use and environmental management, the challenges of privatization and decentralized solutions for production and services.
During the course of the forum there will be a number of seminars and workshops focusing on technology development and investment. The event is coordinated with the assistance of The CWC Group and Bushnak Academy.
CWC is an award-winning company, which specializes in energy and infrastructure, developing knowledge, creating commercial opportunities and strategic solutions for government and industry.
Bushnak Academy, previously known as Dar Al-Taqniya, has been active for two decades in Saudi Arabia and some Arab countries, organizing short training courses in desalination.