ABU DHABI, 26th February, 2026 (WAM) -- Schneider Electric, a global energy technology leader, on Thursday announced that the second edition of the Innovation Summit Middle East & Africa will be held in Abu Dhabi from 28th to 29th April 2026.

The summit will bring together global energy and technology leaders as well as government officials to advance the regional shift towards energy intelligence, as data centre growth, AI adoption, and national visions place unprecedented demands on energy systems.

This year's Summit arrives at a pivotal moment for the Middle East and Africa, as the region experiences exponential growth driven by national visions, giga-projects, and rapid expansion in AI, data centres, and digital infrastructure.

With global electricity demand forecast to increase at a brisk CAGR of 3.6 percent over the 2026-2030 period and global AI workloads projected to lead a 160 percent increase in data centre power demand, the imperative for intelligent, sustainable energy solutions has never been more critical.

"Energy today is the foundation of national resilience and competitiveness. With electricity consumption in the Middle East and North Africa having tripled since 2000 and on course to grow at an incremental 3-4 percent every year to register a whopping 50 percent by 2035 - driven by surging cooling, desalination, and urbanisation demands, the region is at an inflection point," said Walid Sheta, Zone President, Middle East and Africa, Schneider Electric.

He added that the summit underscores Schneider's dedication to accelerating energy technology innovation and powering energy intelligence throughout the region.

Abu Dhabi's emergence as a regional hub for energy transition, digital infrastructure, and innovation makes it an ideal fit for the summit. The UAE's net-zero ambitions and large-scale investments in power and digital infrastructure highlight the scale of the challenge and the opportunity to embed energy intelligence into the region's next wave of growth.

This year's summit will highlight regional benchmarks from over 80 countries, from the 100 percent elimination of SF6 and Carbon footprint reduction for fruit producers in South Africa to the savings that EcoStruxure Power & Grid is enabling for the National Electricity Company, Senegal - ensuring recovery times of 3 minutes versus 3 hours earlier.

The summit will feature high-impact activities and the launch of new products, reinforcing Schneider Electric's leading role in energy transformation across the Middle East and Africa.

"Across the Gulf, energy intelligence is becoming the operational reality as public and private sector enterprises race to align with national visions for a decarbonized and sustainable future" said Amel Chadli, President, Gulf Cluster at Schneider Electric "As one of the most local of global companies, Schneider Electric is empowering customers to move beyond electrification and implement AIdriven, softwaredefined energy systems that deliver efficiency, resilience and sustainability at national scale."