People, Technology and Agility Emerge as Key Resilience Challenges for UAE Energy Sector.
New report, The Energy Industry Resilience Index 2026, highlights the gap between
confidence in the UAE’s 2030 ambitions and the practical challenges of building a resilient
energy industry.
AbuDhabi(News Desk):: A new report from Penta Global, The Energy Industry Resilience Index 2026 has launched today revealing that the UAE’s energy industry is confident in the country’s 2030 ambitions, but organisations face challenges adapting to disruption, implementing technology and sustaining workforce wellbeing.
Based on research conducted by Sapio Research, which surveyed 150 people working across the UAE’s energy and industrial sector, The Energy Industry Resilience Index 2026 85% are confident the UAE’s energy and industrial sectors are prepared to respond to the challenges of the next few years. However, 38% say their organisation adapts at only a moderate pace or more slowly when circumstances change unexpectedly.
Geopolitical instability and energy security are the leading anticipated challenges over the next three years, cited by 43% of respondents, followed by rising costs and inflation (38%).
Meanwhile, 36% say technology is developing faster than their organisation can implement it, highlighting the challenge of turning innovation into operational value.
Workforce wellbeing is another concern. Some 69% say workload and pressure have affected employee wellbeing in the past 12 months, including 30% who report a significant impact.
Sujay Nair, Executive Director of Penta Global, said: “The UAE has ambitious plans for its energy future, and our research shows that confidence in those ambitions remains high.
But confidence alone is not enough. Organisations must be ready to adapt when circumstances change, make sure technology delivers real benefits and support the people who keep projects running. Resilience depends on turning ambition into practical capability.”
The report revealed the following key themes:
Turning technology into operational value: AI and generative AI are already in use or being implemented by 38% of respondents’ organisations. Renewable energy technologies are most frequently identified as transformative over the next five years (23%), followed by AI and machine learning (19%). However, cost is cited as a barrier to implementation by 32% of respondents and cybersecurity and data risks by 31%. AI and digital skills are identified as critical future capabilities by 42% of respondents.
Investing in people and skills: Alongside the impact of workload and pressure, respondents identify cybersecurity and digital risk (34%) and sustainability and decarbonisation (29%) as critical future capabilities. The findings underline the importance of aligning workforce development with changing operational demands and supporting sustainable performance.
Strengthening local capability: Some 91% of respondents believe localisation and In-Country Value (ICV) strengthen competitiveness at least to some extent. However, only 28% identify local talent development as a leading industry strength, highlighting an opportunity to build domestic skills, supplier capacity and manufacturing capability.
Building confidence and adaptability: The findings highlight the need for organisations to balance confidence in the industry’s long-term prospects with the ability to adapt.
Strengthening resilience means being prepared to respond to changing market conditions, embrace new technologies and adjust operational strategies as challenges evolve.
Developing a more agile workforce and enabling informed, decisive leadership will be key to
navigating uncertainty.
Responding to external pressures: Geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty, supply chain disruption and regulatory change continue to shape the operating environment. The findings highlight the importance of looking beyond internal operational challenges to anticipate external risks. Organisations must strengthen their ability to respond to shifting market conditions, manage disruption and maintain continuity while remaining competitive.
Stuart Broadley, CEO of the Energy Industries Council (EIC), said: “Penta Global’s Resilience Index shows that high-level confidence is no substitute for ground-level preparedness. If the energy transition has taught us anything, it’s that national policy ambitions and supply chain agility must move hand-in-hand. True resilience isn’t measured when everything goes according to plan – it’s measured by how quickly our businesses and people can adapt when conditions change unexpectedly. This report is a timely wake-up call and provides an indispensable baseline for the operational changes needed next.”
The report sets out five priorities for industry leaders:
● Preparing for disruption
● Focusing technology investment on measurable outcomes
● Investing in people
● Strengthening domestic capability
● Collaborating across the energy and industrial ecosystem.
As the UAE works towards its 2030 ambitions, The Energy Industry Resilience Index 2026 aims to provide a baseline for industry discussion and action, helping organisations turn confidence into capability. -ENDS-
