Some 85% of global energy leaders believe the sector is more attractive to invest in now than it was five years ago, due to increased adaptation and diversification, a new report by ADIPEC has found.
According to the ADIPEC Global Energy Report 2026: Power Shift, just under two thirds (64%) of respondents said that they believe the global energy system has proved more resilient than expected through recent disruption, while more than three quarters (77%) add that they ‘remain optimistic’ abut the decade ahead.
ADIPEC, a major energy conference and exhibition taking place in Dubai from 2 to 5 November, surveyed some 1,800 senior business and energy leaders across 10 markets for its report, and found an energy industry capable of responding quickly to shocks and eager to build resilience.
‘Period of disruption’
“What stands out from this research is that confidence has held up despite a period of disruption,” commented Christopher Hudson, president of dmg events, the organisers of ADIPEC. “Energy demand continues to grow, the Middle East and Asia are increasingly central to that growth, and AI is reshaping what the industry needs to deliver.
“But confidence alone won’t meet that demand. We need investment to move into projects, infrastructure to be built and new partnerships to take shape. The report gives us a clear picture of the priorities. ADIPEC is where the industry comes together to make decisions and move them forward.”
Other findings from the report include that 93% of respondents believe that meeting future energy demand will require growth across multiple energy sources – the strongest level of consensus identified in the research – while 72% expect the Middle East to become ‘more important’ in the global energy network over the coming decade.
The role of AI
Elsewhere, respondents were also asked about the effect that they believed artificial intelligence will have on both energy demand and the industry itself. Over four in five respondents expect AI-driven electricity demand to exceed current forecasts, with a third (32%) expecting it to be ‘much higher.’ At the same time, 71% view AI ‘more as an opportunity than a risk’ factor.
In addition, more than two fifths (43%) of respondents expect technology and AI firms to exert the greatest influence on global energy networks over the coming decade, ahead of governments and regulators, financial institutions and traditional energy companies.
‘The combination of growing demand, strong investment appetite and technological change shifts the challenge for the industry from resilience towards execution,’ ADIPEC noted. Read more here.
