The 18th edition, held at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), will welcome record-breaking levels of attendees, exhibitors, guest speakers and government partners, with leading international organisations such as IRENA and the EU Hydrogen Council hosting dedicated in-show summits of their own.
Where Intention meets Action
Across the region, appetite for delivering a clean energy transition is at an all-time high. The UAE has pledged to invest $54 billion into renewables by the end of the decade, while mobilising $83 billion of climate-related clean tech funding at COP28 and a further $30 billion via the new Alterra Fund. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has earmarked $270 billion to upscale its renewable energy ambitions, while also having committed almost $200 billion to climate action under the expanding initiatives of the Saudi Green Initiative.
As this investment trend deepens, the 2026 Summit is sharpening its focus on how to translate such commitments into tangible solutions. Through its exhibitions, conferences, and innovation hubs, the World Future Energy Summit will convene policymakers, investors, innovators, and industry leaders to catalyse partnerships, fast-track technology deployment, and scale finance for clean energy projects.
New Zones and Features for 2026
The 2026 Summit features new thematic zones and conference tracks designed to spotlight transformative technologies and market opportunities. It will feature the debut of FUSE AI, a first-of-its-kind exploration zone with an attached two-day conference dedicated to artificial intelligence applications in energy, smart cities, and climate resilience. More than 40 companies are confirmed to demonstrate solutions that use AI to enhance grid stability, optimise renewable integration, and improve climate modelling. This new feature was developed to recognise and explore the growing AI leadership ambitions of leading ME nations – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and others are pouring billions into AI-empowered data centres and supportive infrastructure, eager to leverage its ability to deliver 4IR capabilities and rapidly diversify their economies.
The Summit’s reimagined startup platform, The Greenhouse, will host 50+ startups from across the clean energy, mobility, water, and climate-tech spectrum, connecting them directly with investors and corporate partners. This new part of the summit is the thematic successor to CLIX – The Climate Innovations Exchange – where the boldest and brightest thinkers from around the world would take on the biggest sustainability and climate change challenges.
The World Future Energy Summit will also introduce the Greenpeace Cinema, a first-time collaboration with Greenpeace Middle East, providing a creative space to highlight pressing environmental issues through storytelling and visual impact.
Other programme highlights include the return of Carbon Forward, co-located at the World Future Energy Summit after a successful hosting in Abu Dhabi last year. This is a pioneering event designed to help all stakeholders across the public/private spheres better understand the risks and opportunities that the climate change represents.
A Global Platform Driving Real Outcomes
The World Future Energy Summit has long been a venue where policy announcements, corporate commitments, and technology deals converge. In 2026, this role will be further amplified by high-level summits, such as the EU Hydrogen Council Summit, designed to align international hydrogen strategies with investment flows.
Conferences Shaping the Future
Through keynote sessions, expert panels, and industry-relevant case studies, conference attendees will gain actionable insights into the entire energy ecosystem. Every conference focuses intently on real-world relevance, giving its attendees the knowledge to better understand the realities of their sphere of influence, along with the tools to go out and change things for the better.
The Summit’s expanded conference programme will feature seven tracks, including the debut of the Artificial Intelligence Conference examining the responsible adoption of AI across energy, infrastructure, and smart cities.
Other dedicated forums include Solar & Clean Energy, which will address the strategic, technical, and financial challenges of decarbonisation; Circular Economy, which is an invaluable platform for driving circular economy and sustainable waste innovation; eMobility & Sustainable Cities, which focuses on building sustainable, resilient, and inclusive urban systems; Pathways to 1.5°C, a high-level climate forum focused on helping organisations accelerate their decarbonisation efforts; The Water Conference, which will tackle water security through innovation and smart resource management; and Green Finance, which explores the evolving investment landscape models that drive climate action.
A Middle Eastern Gathering with Global Reach
With record levels of investment flowing into low-carbon technologies – over US$386 billion in the first half of 2025 alone – The World Future Energy Summit 2026 arrives at a pivotal moment. Its combination of national pavilions, startup showcases, thematic conferences, and innovation hubs makes the region’s premier platform for showcasing global climate ambitions while enabling the right conditions to actively pursue and achieve them. For more information, please visit – https://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/
