Hundreds of engineers and energy specialists have gathered in Bahrain to come up with strategies to move towards alternative and renewable fuel sources.

The Energy Management Conference and Exhibition got underway last night at the Gulf Hotel's Gulf International Convention Centre, under the patronage of Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

It is organised by the Bahrain Society of Engineers (BSE) in association with National Oil and Gas Authority and the Arabian Gulf University, under the theme "Towards Energy Sustainability".

More than 500 engineers and specialists from across the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and the US are expected to take part in the three-day conference and exhibition, which ends tomorrow.

It will feature a series of workshops and an exhibition displaying the latest products and innovations for energy management.

"We are reaching an important turning point," said BSE president Majeed Al Gassab.

"Non-renewable energy sources are finite and will not last forever, so we are now debating what steps we should take.

"The big question is how to manage this strategic energy resource.

"Hence, we come to the theme of this conference - energy management.

"Energy management is not just about optimising usage of oil and gas.

"It is about managing a mix of energy sources, changing the ratio of renewable and non-renewable resources and most importantly, this must go hand in hand with reducing our impact on the environment."

Speakers include Saudi Aramco chief engineer Ahmad Al Khowaiter, Arab Gulf University president Dr Khalid Al Ohaly and Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries secretary general Abbas Ali Al Naqi. - TradeArabia News Service