Energy Capital & Power – Africa’s leading energy event organizer – has reaffirmed its commitment to hosting events in Africa, as some organizers relocate overseas; Africa Energy & Mining 2022 Conference & Exhibition will be held in Cape Town on March 29-31, with an in-person and online Africa Energy & Mining seminar to be held in Cape Town in November 2021 to set the agenda; The Africa Energy & Mining series will explore emerging synergies between mining and energy in a post-COVID-19 environment, with a view to facilitating a continent-wide energy transition.
nergy Capital & Power (ECP) is doubling down on its commitment to an Africa-focused 2021/2022 events calendar – citing the role of local capacity-building and investor engagement in enabling an African energy transition – ahead of its Africa Energy & Mining (AEM) Conference & Exhibition in Cape Town next March and an AEM online and in-person seminar and networking event in Cape Town in November.
As the energy sector faces systemic change, the success of the African continent in navigating a clean energy transition rests on its ability to mobilize domestic resources, establish local and regional value chains and chart its own path. This has led the event organizer to renew its pledge to building networking and deal-making opportunities on the ground, as well as restructure its flagship pan-African energy conference earlier this year into a more integrated and inclusive program.
Under the theme, “Investing in the World’s Future Energy Value Chain,” AEM 2022 will unite the entire mining and energy value chain, exploring the role that renewables play in advancing Africa’s mining sector, as well as the value of mining in facilitating a continent-wide energy transition. While the events in November and March represent a continuation of ECP’s Cape Town conference series, AEM has expanded the scope to include investment opportunities across oil and gas, mining, power and renewables, along with emerging industry segments such as energy storage and hydrogen.
“Our unwavering commitment to the continent means that a pan-African energy event must take place in Africa,” says Kelly-Ann Mealia, Chairperson of ECP. “We support South Africa’s economic recovery and believe in positioning African innovation and resources at the heart of the energy transition. There is no better place to do this than Cape Town. We are continuing to invest in Africa’s future through our events, which unite leading industry players and decision-makers from across the continent. Unlike other event organizers, we are committed to working with the African public and private sectors to drive progress from within our key markets.”
“In recent weeks, we have seen promising signs from our government signaling expedited vaccine rollouts, streamlined safety protocols and a forthcoming return to professional events,” says Liam Beattie, Managing Director of HOTT3D, ECP’s exhibition partner. “With the support of the private sector and event industry associations such as the South African Events Council (SACIA), South Africa can declare itself reopen for business and compete with global venues in organizing professional, international events safely. In driving a post-COVID-19 recovery, now is the time to double down on – not withdraw from – the continent and enable the growth and survival of its events industry.”
The AEM event in November will gather southern African and pan-African delegates to set key agenda points, including but not limited to, energy storage, battery metals, and the future of African mining; the role of natural gas in Africa’s economies and new petroleum exploration; Africa as a global LNG leader; the future of African power grids and utilities; funding for gas-to-power projects; independent power producers, privatized power and Africa-wide electrification; the hydrogen revolution; and electric vehicles.
