Hussein Shoukry - managing director at Siemens Energy MEA. (Image source: Siemens Energy)

Siemens Energy has named Hussein Shoukry as the new managing director for the Middle East and Africa. He takes over from Dietmar Siersdorfer, who is retiring after an impressive career spanning nearly four decades with the company.

Based in the UAE, Hussein will oversee Siemens Energy’s operations and strategic initiatives across a regional network of 29 offices, employing more than 4,000 people and generating EUR 9 billion in order intake in fiscal year 2025.

“Rising energy demand is reshaping the future of both the Middle East and Africa,” Hussein said. “In the Middle East, countries are embracing a diversified energy mix and building localized supply chains, while in Africa the priority is expanding reliable electricity access for millions. The region also includes markets where critical energy infrastructure is being rebuilt or modernized.”

He added, “With our broad portfolio in energy technology and long-standing presence, Siemens Energy will remain a committed partner in meeting these needs and strengthening the resilience of the Middle East and Africa’s energy systems.”

Hussein brings extensive experience in managing complex energy projects and enhancing global execution capabilities. Since joining Siemens Energy in 2003, he has held multiple leadership roles, most recently as Senior Vice President for Project Execution, where he led a team of over 3,500 employees and managed the company’s global Competence Centers in Romania, Mexico, and India.

Holding a degree in Construction Engineering from the American University in Cairo, Hussein’s engineering background, project execution expertise, and deep understanding of diverse energy markets across Europe and the Middle East equip him to lead Siemens Energy’s business in the Middle East and Africa effectively.

ACWA Power has reached financial close on seven giga-scale renewable energy projects in Saudi Arabia in partnership with the Water and Electricity Holding Company (Badeel) and Saudi Aramco Power Company (SAPCO).

The projects, part of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), comprise five solar photovoltaic (solar PV) plants and two wind energy developments.

The new plants include Bisha (3 GW solar PV in Asir Province), Humaij (3 GW solar PV in Madinah Province), Khulis (2 GW solar PV in Makkah Province), Afif1 and Afif2 (2 GW each in Riyadh Province), Starah (2 GW wind in Riyadh Province), and Shaqra (1 GW wind in Riyadh Province). Ownership will be shared between ACWA Power, Badeel, and SAPCO, with the Saudi Power Procurement Company acting as procurer and off-taker.

Marco Arcelli, CEO of ACWA Power, said, “Achieving financial close for this portfolio of renewable energy projects under the National Renewable Energy Program, including our first two wind projects in Saudi Arabia, marks a decisive step forward in realizing the Kingdom's ambitious renewable goals. With this milestone, we are accelerating towards bringing these giga-scale projects to life, which directly contribute to energy security in the Kingdom. Beyond lower-carbon power generation, these projects will potentially create thousands of jobs, stimulate domestic supply chains, and enable significant technology transfer to Saudi talent through dedicated training programs. As the largest agreement under the NREP, this landmark collaboration underscores the nation’s steadfast commitment to building a more resilient and sustainable energy landscape.”

Sultan AlNabulsi, Acting CEO at Badeel, added, “Reaching financial close and securing funding for the seven landmark projects marks a major milestone in Badeel’s journey as an anchor sponsor in the renewable energy projects mandated under the Public Investment Fund, reaffirming our commitment to advancing Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy ambitions. This achievement reinforces Badeel’s position as a reliable renewables platform and strengthens the confidence in its long-term value-creation capability.”

Waleed Al Saif, Aramco SVP of New Energies, said, “The financial close for such giga-scale solar and wind projects marks a significant step forward towards the Kingdom’s objectives under the National Renewable Energy Program. This 15 GW portfolio, featuring some of the largest renewable developments in the region, is a demonstration of what may be accomplished through strong partnership and a shared vision. This achievement not only reinforces our dedication to a diversified energy future, but also supports the journey toward our net-zero ambitions.”

The seven projects represent a total investment of US$8.2 bn (SAR 31 bn) and are expected to deliver 15 GW of renewable capacity, with operations planned between the second half of 2027 and the first half of 2028. ACWA Power’s Saudi solar and wind portfolio now includes 21 projects exceeding 34 GW, while its global renewable portfolio reaches 51.9 GW. Senior debt financing of US$5.9 bn was provided by a consortium of local, regional, and international banks, including HSBC, First Abu Dhabi Bank, Standard Chartered, and China Construction Bank.

Global momentum on energy efficiency is expected to accelerate in 2025, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest annual update, signalling renewed progress in an area seen as essential for strengthening energy security, boosting economic competitiveness and cutting both energy costs and emissions.

The IEA’s Energy Efficiency 2025 report shows that global primary energy intensity, the key metric used to measure improvements in energy efficiency, is projected to rise by 1.8% this year. This marks a notable increase from the 1% recorded in 2024.

Early estimates suggest that major economies including India and China are beginning to show signs of stronger improvement compared with their average performance since 2019.

Since 2019, global energy efficiency gains have been relatively weak, averaging just 1.3% annually, well below the roughly 2% per year recorded between 2010 and 2019.

“The acceleration in global progress on energy efficiency that we’re seeing in 2025 is encouraging, including positive signs in some major emerging economies. But our analysis shows that governments need to work even harder to ensure efficiency’s full range of benefits are enjoyed by as many people as possible,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. “Energy efficiency has the power to enhance people’s lives and livelihoods through greater energy security, more affordable bills, improved economic competitiveness and lower emissions.”

New challenges

Despite the improvement, the world remains far from achieving the goal set at COP28 in Dubai, where nearly 200 governments committed to doubling the global average annual rate of efficiency improvements to 4% by 2030.

The report highlights areas where policy action is gaining strength but also points to persistent challenges. Around two-thirds of global growth in final energy demand since 2019 has come from industry, a sector where efficiency improvements have slowed considerably.

In addition, policy development is often failing to keep pace with technological advances, particularly for appliances such as air conditioners. While wider access to air conditioning has improved comfort for millions, most units sold today are far less efficient than the best available models, driving up electricity use and household costs.

The IEA notes two key pathways for governments to accelerate progress: raising the ambition of existing policies, and closing policy gaps, especially in regions with fast-growing energy demand. For instance, around half of all countries still lack minimum efficiency standards for new buildings.

To support this effort, the IEA has updated its Energy Efficiency Progress Tracker with the latest regional data and expanded its Energy Efficiency Policy Toolkit with new case studies showcasing best practices from around the world.

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, has hosted two specialised workshops for representatives from Ghana and Poland’s nuclear energy organisations.

Held at both the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant and in Abu Dhabi, the sessions offered practical insights drawn from the development and operation of the Barakah facility. The workshops focused on risk informed cybersecurity for new nuclear builds, along with the fundamentals of nuclear quality, regulatory frameworks and safety culture essential for emerging nuclear programmes.

Participants engaged in two core learning streams: “Nuclear Quality for Emerging Countries” and “Cybersecurity for Nuclear Power Generation: Lessons Learned from New Program Implementation”. Together, these sessions provided hands on guidance on establishing robust governance, meeting international standards and preparing safe, secure and efficient nuclear infrastructure.

The initiative builds on ENEC’s longstanding collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy, which was strengthened in 2020 through a Memorandum of Understanding on energy cybersecurity. It also forms a key part of ENEC’s broader strategy to advance global knowledge sharing, support countries launching new nuclear programmes and promote opportunities for international partnership and investment.

By enabling new build nuclear nations to access proven expertise and advanced technologies, ENEC aims to help partners strengthen energy security, enhance sustainability and accelerate the responsible adoption of peaceful nuclear power.