Conference Program

Welcome Remarks

Opening Remarks

• H.E Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President of Khalifa University
• Prof. Xianguo Li, President, International Association for Green Energy

Panel Discussion

AI, Data Centres and the Power Challenges

Abstract

The dramatic growth of AI and the associated Datacentre infrastructure is placing strain on the electric power grid and generation supply. In the state of Virginia, USA up to 25% of all power on their grid is absorbed by datacentres; a precursor demonstration of the potential impact for countries as they seek to win the AI race. By bringing datacentre owners together with power system operators, this panel will discuss disparities and the challenges of rapid growth in demand from these large-scale datacentres vs. energy utilities used to working with decade timescales. How big is the problem, how do we address it and what are the prizes for those who meet those challenges.

Moderator

Phil Hart, Chief Researcher at Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Centre, TII

Panel lists

Distinguished panellists participating in this session represent EPRI, Masdar, Microsoft, TAQA, Dell and NVIDIA.

Panel Discussion

From Kilowatt to Kiloliter: Rewiring the Water–Energy Nexus for a Net-Zero Future

Abstract

Water and energy are closely linked, but they’re often planned separately. As demand grows for clean water, renewable energy, green hydrogen, and lower-emission industry, managing both together is becoming more complicated. This panel looks at practical ways to connect the two, focusing on technologies like desalination, smarter water systems, more efficient treatment, and reuse strategies. It will explore how water systems can use less energy and even support energy goals. The discussion will also cover policy, funding, and collaboration needed to build systems that are reliable, efficient, and better suited to future challenges.

Moderator

Chakravarthy Gudipati, Executive Director at Renewable and Sustainable Energy Research Centre, TII

Panel lists:

Distinguished panellists participating in this session represent Gradiant, Desolenator and National University of Singapore.

Plenary Talk

The Future of Nuclear Energy, by Dr. Andrew Ceto, Technical Executive at EPRI

About the speaker

Andrew Ceto is a Technical Executive with EPRI's Nuclear Sector, supporting nuclear utilities, regulators, and emerging nuclear programs across the Middle East. With more than 25 years of experience in nuclear operations, engineering leadership, and applied research, he specializes in engineering program development, asset integrity management, and risk-informed decision making. Prior to EPRI, he served as Senior Engineering Manager and Engineering Programs technical authority at ENEC, where he helped establish the engineering frameworks that supported the successful transition of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant from construction to commercial operation. Earlier in his career, he held a range of engineering and plant integrity leadership positions at Eskom's Koeberg Nuclear Power Station in South Africa.

Plenary Talk

From Stress to Cooling, by Prof. Shuhuai Yao, Hongkong University of Science and Technology, China

About the speaker

Prof. Shuhuai Yao is a Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). She holds a B.S. from Tsinghua University and a Ph.D. from Stanford University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. An expert in microfluidics and lab-on-a-chip microsystems, her Google Scholar profile reflects over 100 high-impact papers in elite journals like Nature Energy and Physical Review Letters. Notably, her breakthrough work in elastocaloric cooling systems set a world record in cooling efficiency. Successfully bridging academia and industry, she co-founded Thunderbio to commercialize her patented HKUST microfluidic technologies.

Panel Discussion

Digital Twins in Energy

Abstract

As global energy systems undergo unprecedented transitions toward net-zero targets, the convergence of physical infrastructure and advanced computing has become essential. This panel explores the transformative role of Digital Twins—virtual replicas of physical assets, processes, and systems—in driving efficiency, reliability, and sustainability across the green energy sector. Bringing together leading experts from academia, industry, and governance, the session will delve into real-world applications of digital twins in maximizing renewable asset performance, optimizing complex smart grids, and managing thermal and multi-phase energy architectures. The discussion will highlight how integrating real-time data, physics-based modeling, and AI can accelerate predictive maintenance, reduce operational carbon footprints, and reshape the future of the water-energy nexus.

Moderator

Surour Mohamed Ahmed Alaraifi, Khalifa University.

Panel lists

Distinguished panellists participating in this session represent Jiangsu University, University of Sharjah, NYU-AD and Siemens Energy

Plenary Talk

Powering Intelligence: The Energy x AI Relationship, by Hakim Hacid, AICC at TII, UAE

About the speaker

Dr. Hakim Hacid is the Chief Researcher of the Artificial Intelligence and Digital Science Research Center in the Technology Innovation Institute (TII), a cutting-edge UAE-based scientific research center, leading the diverse efforts around Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, including Falcon LLM. Prior to joining TII, he was an Associate Professor at Zayed University, a customer analytics head at Zain telecom, and a research department head at Bell Labs Research. He is a published author of many research articles in top journals and conferences and holds several industrial patents to his credit. His research specialization includes machine learning, databases, natural language processing, and security.

Special Session

Face-to-Face with Editors: Navigating the Future of Energy & Material Sciences Publishing

Abstract

This interactive session offers a unique opportunity for researchers to engage directly with the editorial leadership of top-tier Elsevier journals in the fields of energy, artificial intelligence, and materials science. The event will begin with a keynote by Senior Publisher, providing high-level insights into the current publishing landscape and Elsevier’s strategic vision. Following this, Editors from Energy and AI, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Desalination, Transformative Energy, and IJEC will share specific guidance on journal scope, acceptance criteria, and emerging research trends. The session concludes with a dynamic panel discussion and open Q&A, allowing the audience to address specific questions regarding manuscript preparation and the peer-review process.

Moderator

Ayesha Abdulla Alkhoori, Assistant Professor at Khalifa University

Panel lists

Featured editorial leadership representing Elsevier, Energy and AI, Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Transformative Energy, Desalination, and the International Journal of Green Energy.

Plenary Talk

Expanding the Boundaries of AI from Wittgenstein: LLM-Driven Industrial Digital Twin Networks in Hydrogen Energy Systems, by Prof. Changda Wang, Jiangsu University, China

About the speaker

Prof. Changda Wang is Dean of the Jiangsu University Cranfield Tech Futures Graduate Institute and a Professor holding prestigious honors, including Jiangsu’s "Six Talent Peaks" and CCF Executive Committee membership. He earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Jiangsu University (2006) and held visiting roles at Purdue and Carleton Universities. As PI, he has led seven national and provincial foundation grants alongside high-impact industry projects spanning Intelligent IoT, 5G digital currency systems, and hydrogen fuel cell modeling. His English-taught course is recognized by the Ministry of Education and EU Erasmus+, and he has authored over 90 papers in top-tier venues like IEEE INFOCOM and ACM SIGCOMM.

Plenary Talk

From Trend Prediction to Field Reconstruction: Physics-Informed AI for CFB Boiler Operation, by Prof. Lunbo Duan, Southeast University, China

Abstract

Physics AI model offers a tractable route to modeling the complex behavior of circulating fluidized bed (CFB) under flexible operation, where mechanistic models are too slow and purely data-driven models extrapolate poorly. We introduce a new physics-informed deep learning models. A Transformer conditioned on historical measurements and planned operating sequences predicts the coupled multivariable response over a 20-minute horizon. Then a coordinate-conditioned multi-output sparse variational Gaussian process, informed by CFD priors, reconstructs three-dimensional temperature and pressure fields with calibrated uncertainty. This physical AI models describe CFB behavior in time and in space at inference costs compatible with real-time deployment, supporting operator decision-making during CFB flexible operation.

Plenary Talk

AI + Robotics for Materials Microstructure, by Prof. Alvin Zhou, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), China

About the speaker

Yuanyuan (Alvin) Zhou is currently Head and Full Professor of the Department of Materials at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST). He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Materials Science and Engineering from Xi'an Jiaotong University and his Ph.D. in Engineering from Brown University. Prof. Zhou has published more than150 peer-reviewed journal articles, which have received nearly 20,000 citations, with an H-index of 70 (Google Scholar). He serves as Associate Editor of the Journal of Energy Chemistry (Elsevier) and as an Advisory Board Member for the Cell Press journals Device, Chem Circularity, and Matter & Light. Prof. Zhou's research focuses on microstructure science, advanced characterization, and AI-driven materials discovery for semiconductor and energy materials. His seminal contributions to perovskite optoelectronics have been published in top journals, including Science and the Nature portfolio (Nature Nanotechnology, Nature Chemistry, Nature Energy, Nature Synthesis, etc.)

Plenary Talk

Control of Wide-Bandgap Perovskites for All-Perovskite Multi-junction Solar Cells, by Dr. Yongxi Li, Nanjing University, China

About the speaker

Dr. Yongxi Li is Zhicheng Young Professor at the School of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering, Nanjing University. His research focuses on organic and hybrid semiconductors for extreme environment applications, with an emphasis on developing lightweight, flexible, and stable optoelectronic devices, as well as advancing high-throughput thin-film fabrication and patterning technologies. He has published over 60 papers in leading journals, including Nature, Nature Reviews Materials, Nature Photonics, Nature Energy, PNAS, Nature Communications, and Advanced Materials, with more than 7,000 citations. He has filed 10 U.S. and 4 Chinese invention patents, of which 8 have been granted. He has also led multiple competitive research projects, including those supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Pre-Special Session: Student Project Discussion @Studio 7

Special Session: Youth Growth and Leadership in Energy: Education, Early Careers, and Future Impact

Session Organizer

Prof. Nahla Al Amoodi, Khalifa University

About:

The IGEC 2026 Youth Growth Special Session is organized as a collaborative initiative between IGEC, Khalifa University, and the ATRC Youth Council to engage and empower the next generation of energy and sustainability leaders. Led by Prof. Nahla Al Amoodi (Khalifa University) alongside ATRC Youth Council representatives Afra AlKetbi, Mae AlMansoori, and Maryam AlQaydi, this session creates a dynamic platform for students, young professionals, researchers, and industry stakeholders to exchange ideas and foster innovation. Invited speakers across academia and industry will share valuable perspectives on future research directions in the UAE, artificial intelligence in engineering, entrepreneurship, mental well-being, and the essential skills required for future careers.

The interactive program combines high-level insights with hands-on youth engagement through presentations, panel discussions, and the Youth Energy Solutions Lab. A key highlight of the session is the recognition of winning teams from a parallel school-level competition, celebrating student innovation on the conference stage. By promoting real-world youth success stories and showcasing scalable solutions, the initiative aims to inspire meaningful contributions to the global energy transition and sustainable development agenda.

Plenary Talk

Thermal Batteries for Net Zero, by Dr. Binjian Nie, Oxford University, UK

About the speaker

Dr. Binjian Nie is a Departmental Lecturer in Chemical Engineering at the University of Oxford. He leads the Energy Storage and Energy Carriers (ESEC) group at the Department of Engineering Science. His pioneering research focuses on thermal energy storage, industrial decarbonization, and the integration of renewable energy sources. Dr. Nie’s work addresses critical global challenges by seeking to match energy supply and demand, develop carbon-neutral fuels, and reduce carbon-dioxide emissions.

Invited Talk

The establishment OF NEURAL NETWORK based-Model and design OF control system fOR A vanadium flow battery stack, by Prof. Qian Xu, Jiangsu University

Abstract:

The all-vanadium flow battery is a strong contender for long-term and large-capacity energy storage. However, there are relatively few studies on the design of its controllers and predictors. This paper establishes a mechanism model for the all-vanadium flow battery stack, and uses the charging and discharging data under different conditions to establish a database. Through neural network technology, a data-driven model is established using the database, and a predictor is made to predict the SOC and changes in electrolyte temperature. Then, for the mechanism model of the stack, three sets of control systems related to electrolyte flow rate, charging and discharging current density, and electrolyte temperature are designed, all achieving the intended goals of the respective designs and achieving excellent control effects.

• Site Visit /City Tour
• Departure