In the presence of His Excellency the Minister of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, Dr. Mahmoud Abdulaziz Boushahri, and His Excellency the Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, Dr. Amina Rajab Farhan, a scientific workshop was held at the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences building during which a number of issues related to energy and water security and enhancing work on their sustainability were discussed, including clean fuel technologies, energy storage, and optimal management of electricity and water systems, in addition to training and qualifying national competencies in various modern fields related to the electricity generation and water desalination industry.

In this context, His Excellency the Minister gave a visual presentation in which he reviewed a diagnosis of the current situation of the electricity generation sector, starting from the electricity generation process, transmission and control systems, and ending with the distribution of electricity, reaching consumers of all categories.

His Excellency the Minister also explained the expected demand for electrical loads during the coming summer, stressing the importance of rationalizing consumption during the summer months extending from June to September, specifically during peak times from 12:00 noon until 4:00 pm, due to the high temperatures during these hours.

His Excellency the Minister then addressed future projects for power generation stations, whether conventional or renewable, estimated at about 17.3 thousand megawatts, of which renewable energy represents 30%. This future expansion in the electricity system comes in line with the state’s direction to implement infrastructure projects and expand new residential cities in addition to the requirements of the oil sector and industrial, agricultural and urban development.

On the other hand, the Director General of the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences stressed the importance of direct investment in renewable energy and the transition to clean fuel technologies in electricity generation processes with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving carbon neutrality, as well as introducing energy storage technology and working hard to implement it on the ground.

In addition, Dr. Farhan stressed the need to harness all the Corporation’s capabilities to train and qualify national competencies working in the sectors of electric power, water desalination, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.

For her part, Eng. Dina Al-Naqeeb, Director of the Research and Technology Activation Department at the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences, gave a visual presentation in which she pointed out the Foundation’s effective role in supporting the management of all energy and water use in buildings, and raising community awareness of the importance of rationalizing electricity and water consumption.

In addition, Eng. Al-Naqeeb reviewed the scientific research, studies and renewable energy projects that the Foundation funded during the previous years and the importance of the results reached by those research, studies and projects.

His Excellency the Minister and the Director General of the Corporation discussed several topics, including the white paper for energy transformation, which was prepared by the Corporation in cooperation and coordination with the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, in addition to a number of international and local scientific and research bodies specialized in this field, and the necessity of starting its actual implementation whenever possible. The two sides also discussed the necessity of involving the private sector, especially the joint-stock companies listed on the Kuwait Stock Exchange, in building and financing future power generation and water desalination plants.

Finally, the two sides stressed the need to expedite the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy and the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences to enhance cooperation and coordination in all areas related to ensuring the security and sustainability of electricity, water and training.