With recent reports indicating that the countries of the Gulf Cooperative Council were set to spend a stunning US $252 billion over the next few years in setting up new power production plants, distribution systems and supply grids, the region is set to be a focal point for international energy firms and infrastructural engineers.

Qatar leads the rush to create new power generation systems, set to spend US $125 billion in construction and en-ergy projects. Saudi Arabia, with a domestic electricity demand which is growing twice as fast as its economy, is not far behind, announcing power projects worth US $100 billion. Among other big spenders on creating new energy generating infrastructure in the near future is Kuwait, with plans for investing US $27 billion in the pipeline.

In the UAE, Masdar have announced that they are well on the way to bringing their $600 million solar power plant in Abu Dhabi online soon. Shams 1 will be one of the world’s largest concentrated solar power plants, with a capacity of 100 megawatts.*

As energy bills keep rising, with the gallopping cost of production and transmission internationally, designers, devel-opers and end-users are increasingly looking to innovative new technology to reduce costs. With lighting taking up 19% of all electricity worldwide according to statistics from the Interntaional Energy Agency (IEA), interest in energy-efficient lighting systems and design is spreading.

Epoc Messe Frankfurt, organisers of Light Middle East 2011, the key regional trade platform for lighting design and technology, have reported considerable interest in the energy and cost-saving potential of modern lighting systems. “With energy becoming ever more expensive, there is huge interest in the cost-reduction potential afforded by new technology,” said Ahmed Pauwels, Chief Executive Officer of Epoc Messe Frankfurt. “And it is not just the high costs – there is also increasing awareness on the environmental effects of climate change. Light Middle East 2011 will bring the latest energy efficient products and developments available internationally to interested professionals in the Middle East,” he added.

“It is predicted that the use of energy efficient lighting solutions – all of which already exist today, but are not widely implemented – could save an average of 40% per year in terms of CO2 emissions and in energy costs,” Pauwels stated.

Light Middle East 2011 runs from September 12 to 14, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. Over the years it has grown to be the largest trade event and conference for lighting design and technology in the region. Highlighting the latest trends and developments in the industry, the three-day event reflects the increasing concern over green issues that are impacting the world of lighting internationally.

This year’s conference running alongside the exhibition is entitled Light Insight Arabia and will focus on better lighting solutions. The conference is expected to be a key meeting place for architects, lighting consultants, designers, manufacturers and suppliers, to name a few. Serving as a platform for industry professionals to discuss sustainable lighting solutions and energy efficiency, the conference with a focus on intelligent lighting design on Arab projects across the region will feature leading speakers from around the world as well as local experts from the GCC region.

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