The United Arab Emirates (UAE), the second-largest economy in the Arab world, is making significant strides in its commitment to renewable energy projects. With a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, the UAE is investing heavily in clean energy initiatives.
In July, the UAE approved an updated version of its Energy Strategy 2050, along with the development of the National Hydrogen Strategy. To ensure that energy demands are met while sustaining economic growth, the UAE plans to invest 200 billion dirhams ($54 billion) by 2030.
As part of these plans, Abu Dhabi, one of the emirates in the UAE, announced its Climate Change Strategy for 2023-2027. This strategy aims to reduce emissions by 30 million tonnes by 2027, building upon the existing efforts to combat climate change.
Several major clean energy projects are currently underway in the UAE. These include the Barakah nuclear plant, a two-gigawatt solar plant located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region, and the five-gigawatt Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.
The Al Dhafra plant is expected to mitigate 2.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Similarly, the completion of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum park will reduce carbon emissions by 6.5 million tonnes per year.
In addition to these projects, the UAE has also announced the development of geothermal and wind energy initiatives. Abu Dhabi’s Sir Bani Yas Island is now home to the region’s first wind turbine, which has a capacity of 850 kilowatts per hour. Furthermore, a geothermal energy project, a joint effort by Adnoc and Tabreed, is set to meet 10 percent of Masdar City’s cooling requirements.
Masdar, a clean energy company based in Abu Dhabi, is at the forefront of the UAE’s net-zero emissions goals. The company aims to expand its renewable energy capacity to at least 100 gigawatts by 2030 and is actively investing in clean energy projects around the world.
While the UAE’s commitment to renewable energy is commendable, more needs to be done globally to meet net-zero emissions targets. According to the International Energy Agency, clean energy investments need to double to over $4 trillion by 2030 for countries to achieve these goals.
Sources:
– International Energy Agency (IEA)
– UAE Energy Strategy 2050
– National Hydrogen Strategy
– Abu Dhabi’s Climate Change Strategy for 2023-2027
– Barakah nuclear plant
– Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
– Adnoc
– Tabreed Geothermal Energy Project
– Masdar