Anyone who’s tried to line up speakers for a conference knows how difficult it can be to get to the right people, coordinate with their schedules, and make it all look effortless.

Imagine, then, a conference with almost 200 speakers spread out over four days, and you start to get a sense of the magnitude of the World Energy Congress. Scheduled for Sept. 12 through 16 in Montreal, Canada, the congress will bring together business leaders, governmental heads, energy ministers, and others to address current and future challenges.

And they’ve got some pretty heavy hitters lined up — Khalid Al-Falih, president and CEO of Saudi Aramco; Peter Voser, CEO of Shell; even California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s an ambitious list, and so is the goal of the conference — to discuss ways that the world can keep up with energy demand in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way.

The congress is run by the World Energy Council (WEC), an organization that’s existed since 1923. According to Stephane Bertrand, executive director of WEC Montreal 2010, the council’s original role was to rebuild the power grid in Europe after World War I. Since then it’s evolved to ensure that everyone in the world has access to affordable and accessible energy.

“We talk about the ‘four As’: accessibility, availability, acceptability, and accountability,” Bertrand said. He added that the association is the only one of its kind to represent all forms of energy — not just fossil fuels, but also nuclear and renewables.

So what might attendees expect? The goal of the congress is to work toward responsible growth that reconciles economic development, environmental protection, and the reduction of global inequities. “The energy industry urgently seeks solutions to ‘respond now to global challenges,’ as the situation requires an unprecedented level of cooperation between the energy industry and government, allowance for the realities of emerging economies, and an understanding of the diversity and complexity of the challenges and the evolving needs of the human community,” states the WEC Web site.

Added Bertrand, “By 2050 the demand for energy will double. People need a reliable source, and that’s a real challenge for every country.”

Each day will address one of the “As.” Day 1, discussing accessibility, will focus on “Meeting Energy Demand: A Global Challenge Requires Global Solutions.” Day 2, focusing on availability, will address “What is the Right Energy Mix for Long-Term Stability?” Day 3 discusses acceptability with talks on “Energy Solutions for a Living Planet.” And Day 4 will address policies, regulations, and financing as it discusses the accountability issue.

Each day follows a similar presentation structure. At the beginning, the “champion of the day” will set out the issues to be discussed. This is followed by a round table, a keynote speaker, and lunch. In the afternoon there will be breakout issue sessions, paper presentations, and WEC sessions that address global studies and regional work programs. These will be followed by a special address and then a round table that offers a conclusion and daily wrap-up.

Bertrand said that the end of the congress will feature an international regulatory group round table as well as a round table of energy ministers from around the world who will discuss the outcomes of the meeting.

“It’s no longer business as usual,” Bertrand said. “The price of energy had a real peak, and world economies were not able to afford it. And at the same time, we had the financial crisis. In developing countries it takes a few years to recover from that. Over the next few years, prices will increase, and demand from developing countries will also increase significantly. It’s a real challenge to the entire energy industry.

“Even if we do everything possible to lower CO2 emissions, it may not be enough. Right now 86% is coming from fossil fuels. In 2030 that number will only be down from 75 to 80%. It’s time for a reality check.”

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