His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of “ADNOC” and its group of companies, as well as Chairman of the Executive Board of “XRG”, highlighted the United Arab Emirates’ successful positioning on the global stage due to visionary leadership. He emphasized the importance of international collaboration and strategic partnerships aimed at forging a brighter future for humanity, particularly in advanced technology sectors.
He pointed out the necessity of efficiently and effectively combining efforts from the energy, technology, finance, and policy sectors to capitalize on the extraordinary investment opportunities presented by artificial intelligence.
This statement was made during his address at the ninth annual “Global Energy Forum” organized by the Atlantic Council, held in Washington, D.C., attended by prominent political leaders and energy sector executives.
Dr. Al Jaber remarked that artificial intelligence represents the next phase of human advancement, noting that meeting its demands requires a significant transformation in energy policies, investments, and infrastructure. He stressed that excelling in artificial intelligence extends beyond software development to ensuring adequate energy supply, as advancements in AI solutions and tools necessitate increased energy consumption. He indicated that the current global energy system is not prepared for this growth and projected that the United States will require an additional 50 to 150 gigawatts of electricity by 2030, equating to the total consumption of several major cities.
He introduced a comprehensive roadmap to address this challenge, developed in partnership with “XRG”, “MGX”, and the Atlantic Council. This roadmap includes recommendations for accelerating the issuance of licenses, modernizing networks, and making strategic investments in gas, nuclear energy, and renewable sources, emphasizing that the development and operation of future technologies cannot rely on outdated electrical grids.
He noted that delays in issuing necessary licenses and challenges in supply chains hinder progress in this area, highlighting the importance of supportive policies to leverage major opportunities through a partnership approach, which has already strengthened the robust and comprehensive relationship between the UAE and the United States across various sectors.
He stated, “The United States is one of our priorities and is a key investment destination for us, with American companies being among the largest partners in the UAE’s oil concessions. They are actively investing in exploration, development, production, refining, manufacturing, and marketing. Emirati firms are collaborating with U.S. companies in 18 states across 50 facilities, covering diverse fields from gas and chemicals to energy infrastructure and solutions.”
He added that “XRG” plays a crucial role in the largest liquefied natural gas facility in Texas, producing specialty chemicals throughout the U.S. Additionally, the operational capacity of Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company “Masdar” has increased to 5.5 gigawatts across various regions in the U.S. This is just the beginning; to further contribute to our aspirations, we have recently opened a joint office for both “XRG” and “Masdar” in Washington, D.C.
He explained that any new data center could consume as much electricity as a city the size of Pittsburgh, and meeting this demand presents both a technical challenge and a significant investment opportunity that necessitates a comprehensive transformation through a harmonious and effective collaboration among the energy, technology, finance, and policy sectors.
He pointed out that satisfying the energy needs of massive data centers requires a considerable increase in power supplies and utilizing reliable energy sources like gas and nuclear for base load security, alongside renewable energy supported by necessary storage capabilities.
He emphasized the critical need for substantive advancements in new technologies such as “small modular reactors” and “fusion energy,” advocating for a practical approach that includes halting the early shutdown of existing power plants while reinvigorating nuclear energy.
He stressed the urgent requirement to advance the electricity grid infrastructure, particularly given that the expected wait times for delivering essential components, such as transformers, could extend beyond three years. This delay stems from fundamental challenges facing industrial growth, not just from supply chains. Effectively harnessing opportunities for grid development demands expedited licensing processes, workforce qualification, and reduced capital risks.
Dr. Al Jaber emphasized, “The technology sector operates on quarterly timelines, while the energy sector works on multi-decade frameworks. We need to address this gap by mitigating the risks associated with substantial capital investments and developing policies that promote progress rather than hinder it. Currently, there is a planned global electricity generation capacity of 2600 gigawatts that needs to be integrated into the grid, and we must remove barriers to enable this expansion.”
He noted that generating electricity is just one aspect of the equation, as delivering it to end-users adds another layer of complexity. He underscored the need to train one million technicians required to operate 21st-century grids, optimizing the potential of artificial intelligence to improve energy management systems.
Additionally, he discussed the current regional situation and its impact on regional peace and energy security, reaffirming the UAE’s commitment to supporting dialogue and diplomatic solutions to conflicts while calling for all parties to exercise restraint and respect the sovereignty of nations and adhere to international law.
In closing, Dr. Al Jaber urged for enhanced cooperation in leveraging AI tools and solutions along with the promising economic opportunities they offer. He stated, “Maximizing the full potential of artificial intelligence necessitates ensuring the required electricity supplies, which begins with creating a comprehensive roadmap that can be implemented locally while expanding its application globally. We also need supportive policies, develop infrastructure that meets the required loads, and undertake investments aligned with current needs.”
He concluded by stating that artificial intelligence and energy are intertwined forces propelling human advancement, driving us towards a shared future.
Notably, Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber’s remarks followed the second session of the “ENACT” Council in Washington, which brought together leaders from energy, technology, finance, and government sectors to create a collaborative agenda addressing the substantial increase in energy demand attributed to the growth and development of artificial intelligence, accelerate infrastructure investments in the sector, and provide comprehensive and immediate solutions across the entire ecosystem.
Based on the discussions of the council, a new roadmap has been established to undertake the necessary actions through the collaboration of relevant sectors under the theme: “Supporting the Next Phase of Human Progress,” highlighting the integrated opportunities and solutions needed to address the urgent surge in energy demand resulting from the rapid growth of AI-utilized data centers while directing long-term investments towards building a smarter, more flexible, and efficient energy system.
The roadmap also focuses on several practical methodologies across the energy value chain, identifying required investment opportunities and policies, many of which rely on AI tools and solutions. This includes enhancing existing energy production capacity, modernizing and expanding electricity grid infrastructure, managing demand-supporting incentives, strategically selecting locations for new data centers, and expediting the adoption of next-generation technologies.
Moreover, the roadmap underscores the necessity for taking effective actions across the entire ecosystem to ensure full utilization of the qualitative potentials of artificial intelligence.