By Rafiq Vayani
DUBAI: Hosted by GE, the ‘Transforming Power’ conference brought together more than 200 global and regional energy sector experts in Dubai,UAE on October 16, 2017, to share experiences of industry-leading projects from around the world, identify the next generation of solutions to boost power sector efficiency and discuss new business models for the industry. The exclusive event was held in collaboration with MEED and highlighted trends and innovations in the energy ecosystem that can help unlock further productivity, diversification and operational efficiency in the industry across Pakistan, the Middle East and North Africa.
Khalid Mansoor, Chief Executive Officer of The Hub Power Company (HUBCO), shared his insights on Pakistan’s power sector in particular at a panel discussion titled Challenges, Gaps and Future Opportunities. “The combination of software, advanced data analytics and heavy industrial equipment is arguably the largest opportunity in front of the power generation sector today. Pakistan has been one of the first countries in the world to deploy GE’s advanced digital industrial solutions for the power sector. We have adopted these solutions at two of HUBCO’s power plants as well and already started to see benefits in terms of reduced unplanned downtime, lower maintenance costs and fewer emissions,” he stated.
Joseph Anis, President & CEO of GE’s Power Services business in the Middle East & Africa presented big shifts and macro-trends shaping the energy sector in the region. “Despite the evolving economic environment, we see an intense appetite for innovation and the desire to learn and lead by example across MENA and Pakistan. Power sector operators today require partners who can look at the entire electricity value network – from power generation, to transmission and distribution, to consumption – as well as across a range of solutions, to help them unlock the greatest benefits. GE is honoured and excited to work with our customers and other stakeholders throughout this value chain to drive the digital industrial transformation of the power sector in the region,” he said.
GE has supported the development of Pakistan’s power generation sector for more than fifty years, providing advanced solutions to utilize various energy sources, including natural gas, coal, wind, hydro and others. Today, GE-built technologies can generate up to 25 percent of the country’s electricity.
