* Despite the blockade, Qatar is honouring all commitments to existing customers

Qatar is well positioned as the world’s LNG capital to provide affordable and reliable gas and despite the blockade, the country is honouring all commitments to existing customers, said HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah.
“Energy security for the region is a priority for Qatar,” said al-Attiyah, the former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry at a panel session on the first day of the 8th Bosphorus Summit in Istanbul, Turkey.
In response to a question about the general trends effecting and shaping the future of Energy, al-Attiyah, the founder and chairman of the Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah International Foundation for Energy and Sustainable Development, said that a diversified energy mix is the solution for most countries.
He said the preferred use of gas enables a substitution away from coal and fuel oil for power generation purposes thereby reducing local carbon dioxide emissions.



HE Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah at a panel session at the 8th Bosphorus Summit in Istanbul, Turkey.

In addition, he noted that gas should be an “integral part of the long-term energy mix because it is an abundant, affordable, available and acceptable” source of energy.
Al-Attiyah noted that renewable sources of energy (solar and wind) would continue to be installed as technological processes reduce costs.
“Battery technology will be a major game-changer in allowing renewable sources to be stored when solar and wind energy is not available. Of course, electric vehicles will also be major users of battery technology. We expect the use of electric vehicles to continue to grow,” al-Attiyah said.
Al-Attiyah led the panel session, which focused on the “Future of Energy” and in particular the role of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
He was joined by Hilmi Guler, former minister of energy, Turkey, and Sureyya Yucel Ozden, president, DIEK Energy Business Councils, Turkey.
The panellists touched upon their unique experiences managing energy and resources in their respective countries as well as macro-economic developments and key political events affecting the energy industry globally.
"Participating in the 8th Bosphorus Summit is a great opportunity to share experiences and insights on key energy matters with my peers from across the globe,” al-Attiyah later said in a statement.
The Al-Attiyah Foundation is also co-managing the programme for the second day of the summit, dedicated to energy and sustainability.