ACWA Power to Emphasize Role as Global Accelerator of Energy Transformation at WETEX

ACWA Power to Emphasize Role as Global Accelerator of Energy Transformation at WETEX
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ACWA Power to Emphasize Role as Global Accelerator of Energy Transformation at WETEX

ACWA Power to Emphasize Role as Global Accelerator of Energy Transformation at WETEX

ACWA Power, a leading Saudi developer, investor and operator of power generation and desalinated water plants worldwide, will showcase its portfolio of leading renewable energy and water desalination projects at the at 22nd Water, Energy, Technology and Environment exhibition (WETEX) as a Titanium Sponsor.

Unlike any of its former editions, WETEX 2020 is launching virtually and will be the first ever carbon-neutral, 3D exhibition in the Middle East and North Africa on Water, Energy, Sustainability and Innovation.

ACWA Power will be exhibiting its record-breaking projects that played an instrumental role in lowering renewable energy tariff levels and opened new opportunities in energy efficiency and water production through a virtual 3D interactive stand.

The milestone projects will include Shuaa Energy, (MBR Solar Park Phase II); Noor Energy 1 (MBR Solar Park Phase IV); ACWA Power’s newest win – Shuaa Energy 3 (MBR Solar Park Phase V); Umm Al Quwain IWP; and Taweelah IWP, the largest desalination project in the world.

“This year, WETEX is going to be more critical than ever as a result of the increasing economic implications incited by the COVID-19 pandemic. Prioritising innovation today is key to unlocking postcrisis growth – and WETEX is the ideal platform that gathers like-minded stakeholders, governments and companies who are eager to explore and reciprocate insights and visions on forward-looking smart technologies and electrification solutions for a collective prosperous future,” ACWA Power Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said.

ACWA Power is partaking in three leading seminars during WETEX this year. Paddy Padmanathan, President and CEO of ACWA Power, is joining the CEO Roundtable alongside CEO of Engie KSA, Turki Alshehri and CEO of Sterling & Wilson, Bikesh Ogra, to discuss the challenges posed by the pandemic and how to prepare for a post COVID-19 world.

Abla Addas, Business Development Manager at ACWA Power, will run a seminar on the challenges and opportunities of “Energy Efficiency, Sustainability and Conservation” following the immense impact of the lockdown period on the environment. Dr. Andrea Lovato, Vice President & Head of Renewables Development at ACWA Power, will lead a robust session on the potential of green hydrogen as a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.



Firm Dollar Keeps Pound, Euro and Yen Under Pressure

US Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ File Photo
US Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ File Photo
TT

Firm Dollar Keeps Pound, Euro and Yen Under Pressure

US Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ File Photo
US Dollar and Euro banknotes are seen in this illustration taken July 17, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ File Photo

The US dollar charged ahead on Thursday, underpinned by rising Treasury yields, putting the yen, sterling and euro under pressure near multi-month lows amid the shifting threat of tariffs.

The focus for markets in 2025 has been on US President-elect Donald Trump's agenda as he steps back into the White House on Jan. 20, with analysts expecting his policies to both bolster growth and add to price pressures, according to Reuters.

CNN on Wednesday reported that Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a series of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries. On Monday, the Washington Post said Trump was looking at more nuanced tariffs, which he later denied.

Concerns that policies introduced by the Trump administration could reignite inflation has led bond yields higher, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note hitting 4.73% on Wednesday, its highest since April 25. It was at 4.6709% on Thursday.

"Trump's shifting narrative on tariffs has undoubtedly had an effect on USD. It seems this capriciousness is something markets will have to adapt to over the coming four years," said Kieran Williams, head of Asia FX at InTouch Capital Markets.

The bond market selloff has left the dollar standing tall and casting a shadow on the currency market.

Among the most affected was the pound, which was headed for its biggest three-day drop in nearly two years.

Sterling slid to $1.2239 on Thursday, its weakest since November 2023, even as British government bond yields hit multi-year highs.

Ordinarily, higher gilt yields would support the pound, but not in this case.

The sell-off in UK government bond markets resumed on Thursday, with 10-year and 30-year gilt yields jumping again in early trading, as confidence in Britain's fiscal outlook deteriorates.

"Such a simultaneous sell-off in currency and bonds is rather unusual for a G10 country," said Michael Pfister, FX analyst at Commerzbank.

"It seems to be the culmination of a development that began several months ago. The new Labour government's approval ratings are at record lows just a few months after the election, and business and consumer sentiment is severely depressed."

Sterling was last down about 0.69% at $1.2282.

The euro also eased, albeit less than the pound, to $1.0302, lurking close to the two-year low it hit last week as investors remain worried the single currency may fall to the key $1 mark this year due to tariff uncertainties.

The yen hovered near the key 160 per dollar mark that led to Tokyo intervening in the market last July, after it touched a near six-month low of 158.55 on Wednesday.

Though it strengthened a bit on the day and was last at 158.15 per dollar. That all left the dollar index, which measures the US currency against six other units, up 0.15% and at 109.18, just shy of the two-year high it touched last week.

Also in the mix were the Federal Reserve minutes of its December meeting, released on Wednesday, which showed the central bank flagged new inflation concerns and officials saw a rising risk the incoming administration's plans may slow economic growth and raise unemployment.

With US markets closed on Thursday, the spotlight will be on Friday's payrolls report as investors parse through data to gauge when the Fed will next cut rates.