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ACWA Power Innovation Days

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Monday

February 3, 2025

7:00 pm  

 

Gala Dinner

KACST Innovation Garden G

7:00 pm  

 

Guests Arrival

KACST Innovation Garden G

7:30 pm  

 

Welcome note

KACST Innovation Garden G

7:55 pm  

 

Dinner and Networking 

Gala Dinner

KACST Innovation Garden G
Tuesday

February 4, 2025

8:00 am  

 

DAY 1

Theme: Innovation Vision, Digitalization/AI, Water Desalination

8:00 am  

 

Registration and Networking

Welcome Tea Coffee and Registration 

The Garage G Registration Reception

9:00 am  

 

Welcome Note

Welcome Note

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Mohammad Abunayyan
Founder & Chairman of The Board of Directors, ACWA Power

9:05 am  

 

Speed of Saudi Arabia to Deliver One of the World's Most Ambitious Decarbonization Programs Through Innovation

This keynote explores Saudi Arabia’s bold vision and swift progress in implementing one of the largest and most comprehensive decarbonization strategies globally, emphasizing the role of innovation in achieving these objectives.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Marco Arcelli
Chief Executive Officer, ACWA Power

9:15 am  

 

Global Collaboration and Technology: Unlocking Innovation for a Sustainable Future

A forward-looking address exploring how global collaboration and cutting-edge technologies can tackle pressing sustainability challenges and unlock innovation opportunities.

Talal Alsedairy
Senior Vice President, KACST

9:25 am  

 

Session 1: Driving Innovation for Impact 

9:25 am  

 

Driving Innovation for Impact in Saudi Arabia

This keynote highlights Saudi Arabia's efforts to foster transformative solutions across energy, water, and technology, showcasing how innovation drives sustainable progress and global impact.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Basil AsSadhan
Vice Governor, RDIA

9:35 am  

 

Innovation Vision and Ambition – Working Together to Accelerate the Development and Integration of Renewable and Desalination Technologies for a Sustainable Future

Contribution to the boost the innovation ecosystem - building capacity,  funding and human resources to allow space for innovation - contribution - create synergies - foster collaboration - go to market faster - sharing test beds - share feedback - together we are stronger

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Rusha Al-Rawaf
Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer, ACWA Power
Majid Algwaiz
Deputy Minister of Development and Project Management, Ministry of Energy (KSA)
Abdulaziz Malik Al Malik
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Environment, Water & Agriculture
Ali A. Al-Meshari
Senior Vice President, ARAMCO
Rami Niazy
Vice Governor, RDIA
Saud Almandil
Vice President, MAADEN
Talal Alsedairy
Senior Vice President, KACST

10:20 am  

 

Session 2: Key Enablers of Innovation Ecosystem 

10:20 am  

 

Foundations of Innovation Success

This keynote focuses on the critical factors required to build a thriving innovation ecosystem, including infrastructure, policy frameworks, and cross-sector collaboration.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Edward Byrne AC
President, KAUST

10:30 am  

 

Translational Research - Accelerating Technology Development and Minimizing Time to Market

Shifting focus towards real world problems - how can universities help in providing test beds in accelerating the tests - how universities can improve their role - transforming the universities as partner in industry - better understand the problems of the industry - testing for curiosty or what we can use tomorrow for impact - access to people, test beds and equipment

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Sarah Al Harthey
Executive Manager, ACWA Power
Khalid Aldakkan
Senior Vice President, KACST
Ian Campbell
Vice President, KAUST
Ali Al-Shaikhi
Vice President, KFUPM
Samir Rachidi
Director General, IRESEN
Christopher Hebling
Director, FRAUNHOFER

11:15 am  

 

Accelerating Deployment through Innovation at Scale and Pace in Saudi Arabia

This keynote explores Saudi Arabia's strategic approach to scaling and accelerating innovation across industries. It highlights how the nation leverages advanced technologies, bold policy frameworks, and collaborative efforts to drive rapid deployment of transformative solutions, positioning itself as a global leader in sustainability and innovation.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power

11:25 am  

 

Fueling Plant Performance Improvement through Innovation

This keynote will showcase how ACWA Power's innovation-driven approach in operations has driven down cost of energy and water as well as carbon footprint of our projects.

The Garage 1 Main Hall

11:45 am  

 

Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony

Solar PV, Battery Energy Storage, Master Research Agreement

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Aramco - ACWA Power | Development and Testing of Photovoltaic Energy Forecasting Models
Marco Arcelli
Chief Executive Officer, ACWA Power Company
Ali A. Al-Meshari
Senior Vice President, Aramco
Aramco - ACWA Power | Flow Battery Energy Storage System
Marco Arcelli
Chief Executive Officer, ACWA Power Company
Ali A. Al-Meshari
Senior Vice President, Aramco
KAUST - ACWA POWER | Master Research Agreement Renewal
Marco Arcelli
Chief Executive Officer, ACWA Power Company
Edward Byrne AC
President, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
Bluewater - ACWA Power | Testing Advanced RO Pretreatment
Marco Arcelli
Chief Executive Officer, ACWA Power Company
Fergus Rooksby
Commercial Director, Bluewater Bio International

12:00 pm  

 

The future is now: Youth role in Institutional Innovation 

This discussion highlights how young innovators are shaping sustainable solutions in energy, water, and hydrogen. Featuring creative approaches to pressing challenges, the session showcases their impact and vision for a sustainable future.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Faisal Al Ghariry
Executive Manager, ACWA Power
Aiman Mufti
Head of Energy Capacity Building Sector, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy
Mohamed Youssef
Director, ACWA Power

12:20 pm  

 

Demos and Posters

Demos and Posters 

The Garage 1 Main Hall

12:20 pm  

 

Lunch Break and Networking

Prayer and Lunch Break

The Garage 1 Lunch Foyer

2:00 pm  

 

Global Trends Shaping the Future of Innovation

A thought-provoking dialogue on emerging global innovation trends, discussing how regions are adapting to new technologies and fostering creativity to drive industrial transformation.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Thomas Altmann
Executive Vice President, ACWA Power
Fiona Murray
Associate Dean, MIT
Ferdinand Varga
Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG

2:25 pm  

 

Session 3 Technology Focus: Water Desalination

2:25 pm  

 

Disruptive Innovation in Desalination

Addressing pressing issues in seawater desalination and fostering collaboration to identify new topics for more R&D. How to get to affordable green desalinated water.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Shannon McCarthy
Secretary General, IDRA
Johannes Vrouwenvelder
Director, KAUST
Thomas Altmann
Executive Vice President, ACWA Power
Eusebio Nomen
CEO, WGA Water Global Access

3:10 pm  

 

Net Zero - Desalination's Transition Story

Highlights the evolution of desalination technologies to meet net-zero objectives, incorporating sustainable methods to minimize environmental impact.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Ratul Das
Executive Manager, ACWA Power

3:20 pm  

 

Desal Benchmark – Setting New Standard

Shares insights into the benchmarking of desalination technologies, focusing on enhancing efficiency, reducing costs, and achieving sustainability.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Hugo Birch
Editor, Global Water Intelligence

3:30 pm  

 

Session 4 Technology Focus: Artificial Intelligence & Digitalization 

3:30 pm  

 

Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence to Fuel Technology Innovation

Exploring how to efficiently use AI, along with IoT, digital twins, IT infrastructure, technical and operational expertise, connectivity, robots, and advanced control systems, to foster collaborations and synergies for greater impact.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Amar Shubar
Partner, Management Partners
Margarete Schramboeck
Board Member Aramco Digital, ARAMCO
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power
Ahmad Aljadaan
General Manager, RDIA
Bader Almadi
General Manager, Google CDC - Saudi Arabia
Khaled Al-Ofaysan
Country Head and Managing Director, IBM
John Markus Lervik
Founder, Cognite
Charles Nahas
Regional General Manager, Microsoft

4:15 pm  

 

Shuaiba Conversion - First of a kind decarbonization project

Insight into ACWA Powers' strategy to decarbonize the desalination portfolio with innovative strategies and advanced technologies to reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Tariq Nada
Executive Vice President, ACWA Power

4:25 pm  

 

Digital/AI – Driving Process Automation for Project Execution

Examines how digital tools and AI-driven automation improve project execution, streamline workflows, and increase productivity in large-scale projects.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Hiba Dernayka Zoohbi
Head of Digital Factory - PM, ACWA Power

4:35 pm  

 

Advanced AI Models – AI Foundation and Compound AI

Delivers an in-depth analysis of the latest AI foundation models, such as Compound AI, and their application in solving complex challenges across various sectors.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Marco Visibelli
Executive Director - Head of Data Platform & IoT, ACWA Power

4:45 pm  

 

Closing Note

Closing Note

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power
Wednesday

February 5, 2025

8:00 am  

 

DAY 2

Theme: Innovation Ambition, Finance, Green Hydrogen, Renewables and BESS

8:00 am  

 

Registration and Networking

Welcome Tea Coffee and Registration 

The Garage G Registration Reception

9:00 am  

 

Welcome Note

Welcome Note 

The Garage 1 Main Hall

9:05 am  

 

Technology Integration and Synergies for Green Innovation

A visionary keynote exploring how bold ambitions and a strategic focus on innovation can drive global sustainability efforts and deliver breakthrough outcomes.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Sherzod Khodjayev
Director, Energy Market Development and Regulation Agency of the Republic of Uzbekistan

9:15 am  

 

Collaboration and Synergies for Green Innovation & Technology

This keynote will explore how fostering collaboration and building synergies among stakeholders can drive green innovation. By sharing insights, strategies, and success stories, the session aims to highlight the importance of partnerships in accelerating sustainable technologies and achieving impactful environmental solutions.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Guoqiang Xing
Chief Technology Officer, Tongwei Solar (Chengdu) Co., Ltd.

9:25 am  

 

Session 1: Innovation Ambition and Collaboration

9:25 am  

 

Innovation Ambition - the journey from incremental to breakthrough innovation

Discusses the transition from incremental improvements to disruptive breakthroughs, addressing key challenges, enablers, and strategies for success.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Lauren Fay Greenlee
Executive Vice President, XPRIZE
Abdulaziz Almuhaidib
General Director of Innovation & Development, Ministry of Energy (KSA)
Thomas Altmann
Executive Vice President, ACWA Power
Yazeed Alaskar
Executive Director, RDIA
Bruce Niven
Executive Manging Director, ARAMCO
Saeed AlShihri
Vice President, KACST

10:10 am  

 

Innovation as the pivitol role in the tripling ambition of ACWA Power's business

Explores strategies to boost innovation culture, iEcosystem engagement and leveraging partnerships to jointly create significant innovation opportunities.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Thomas Altmann
Executive Vice President, ACWA Power

10:20 am  

 

ACWA Power China R&D Center

Highlights the research and development initiatives at ACWA Power’s China R&D Center, showcasing its role in advancing renewable energy and sustainable technologies.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Dong Yinzhong
Head of China Procurement and R&D, ACWA Power

10:30 am  

 

Coffee Break

Coffee Break

The Garage 1 Coffee Break & Networking

11:00 am  

 

Session 2: Financing Innovation

11:00 am  

 

Powering Progress: Financing Green Innovations

A discussion on innovative financial strategies, partnerships, and collaborative models to address the challenges of funding green technology and sustainable projects.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Atanu Das
Executive Vice President, ACWA Power
Abdullah Abobakr
Chief Business Officer, National Development Fund
Mshari Alassaf
Exective Vice President, RIYAD BANK
Feras Nasrallah
Director General, Saudi EXIM Bank

11:40 am  

 

Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony

Desalination, Hydrogen

The Garage 1 Main Hall
DOW - ACWA Power | Antiscalant testing
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power Company
Khalid Alwafi
Senior Lead, Dow Europe GmbH
Fraunhofer | Framework Agreement
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power Company
Ralph Gottschalk
Director, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung

12:00 pm  

 

Demos and Posters

The Garage 1 Main Hall

12:20 pm  

 

Lunch Break and Networking

Prayer and Lunch Break 

The Garage 1 Lunch Foyer

1:30 pm  

 

Session 3: Technology Integration and Synergies for Green Innovation

 

1:30 pm  

 

Integrating Renewables for Efficiency and Resilience

Examines strategies for seamlessly integrating renewable energy technologies to enhance efficiency and build resilient energy systems.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Matthew York
Deputy Chief Operating Officer, ACWA Power
Saad AlQahtani
Chief Technical Officer, Vision Industries
Daniel Zhong
Chief Technology Officer, Sungrow Power Supply
George Wang
Chief Technology Officer, ENVISION
Colin Kejiang CHEN
Vice President, LONGI
David Zhang
Chief Technical Officer, Sunpure Technology
Mohammed Dweik
Head, Jinko Solar Co., Ltd.

2:15 pm  

 

Technology integration: Energy Storage for Industrial Heat Applications

Highlights innovative uses of energy storage technologies in industrial heat systems to improve energy efficiency and sustainability.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Jose Barragan
Vice President, ACWA Power

2:25 pm  

 

Energy Storage Solutions Optimum for Harsh Climate Conditions

Discusses medium- and long-duration energy storage solutions tailored to perform in extreme climates, enhancing reliability and resilience.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
William Tope
Chief Executive Officer, LiNa Energy
John O’Donnell
Chief Innovation Officer, Rondo Energy
Bandar Alsolami
Consultant, ARAMCO
Husam Alshareef
Professor, KAUST
Michael Peither
Co-Founder & CIO, Voltstorage

3:10 pm  

 

Energy Storage: Next generation and Future Innovations in BESS

Explores cutting-edge advancements in Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and their potential to revolutionize energy storage.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Ruilin Chen
Vice President, Gotion Americas

3:20 pm  

 

Coffee Break 

Prayer and Coffee Break 

The Garage 1 Coffee Break & Networking

3:50 pm  

 

Session 4 Technology Focus: Green Hydrogen

3:50 pm  

 

Green Hydrogen – Future Technologies and Production Innovations

A discussion on the future of green hydrogen, focusing on next-generation electrolyzers and alternative methods for hydrogen production.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Driss Berraho
Vice President, ACWA Power
Christian Urgeghe
Chief Technology Officer, DE NORA
Sören Dresp
Head, Sungrow Europe
Darren Miller
Chief Executive Officer, Australian Renewable Energy Agency
Jocelyn Sun
Director, LONGI
Jan Domhardt
Managing Director, Thyssenkrupp Nucera
Alex Panchula
Vice President, Electric Hydrogen
Daniel Sandermann
Chief Commercial Officer, Hysata

4:30 pm  

 

Collaboration Agreement Signing Ceremony

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Hysata - ACWA Power | Testing of Capillary-fed Electrolyzer
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power Company
Daniel Sandermann
Chief Commercial Officer, Hysata

4:45 pm  

 

Integrated Design of Green Hydrogen Plants

Covers holistic approaches to designing efficient and sustainable hydrogen plants, aligning with global decarbonization goals.

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Amit Kumar Beriya
Executive Director, ACWA Power

4:55 pm  

 

Emerging Technologies Driving Hydrogen Innovation

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Ahmed Balawi
Senior Manager, ACWA Power

5:05 pm  

 

Closing Note

Closing Note

The Garage 1 Main Hall
Bart Boesmans
Chief Technical Officer, ACWA Power