Busan: The 2025 World Climate Industry Expo (WCE) commenced in South Korea, highlighting the intersection of energy and artificial intelligence (AI) as it showcases pioneering energy technologies. The event, under the theme "Energy for AI and AI for Energy," aims to stimulate discussions among global energy leaders regarding the role of energy in the AI era.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the expo is co-hosted by the Korean government, International Energy Agency (IEA), and the World Bank. It runs through Friday at the BEXCO convention center in Busan, featuring innovative energy technologies from 540 companies worldwide, as reported by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. Major participants like Hyosung Heavy Industries Co., LS Electric Co., and HD Hyundai Electric Co. are presenting advancements in next-generation power grids, including high-voltage direct current systems, smart grids, and energy storage systems.
Doosan Group is showcasing its small modular reactor foundry technology, while Korea Zinc Inc. is displaying its renewable energy and green hydrogen value chain. POSCO Group is introducing its hydrogen reduction ironmaking technology and its vision for reducing carbon emissions. Additionally, companies like Samsung Electronics Co., LG Electronics Inc., and Hyundai Motor Co. are exhibiting technologies for cooling AI data centers, AI chips, zero-energy buildings, and electric vehicle charging robots.
Officials from 32 countries, alongside global tech giants such as Microsoft, Google, Nvidia, and Amazon Web Services, are participating in the WCE conferences. IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol and Manuela Ferro, regional vice president for East Asia and Pacific Region at the World Bank, are set to discuss strategies to address the increasing demand for electricity and achieve carbon neutrality. During the opening ceremony, Birol emphasized the critical role of data centers and AI in ushering the "age of electricity," noting the rapid growth in electricity consumption driven by these technologies.
Birol highlighted that electricity usage has already outpaced overall energy demand growth in the past decade, expecting it to grow sixfold by 2035. He stressed that nations capable of providing clean and affordable energy will gain a significant edge in the global AI race, while those leveraging AI will lead the future energy sector. "There is no AI without energy," Birol stated, "and AI has the potential to transform the energy sector."