Energy Abu Dhabi moves ahead on new renewable project UAE state-owned Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) is seeking expressions of interest for the development of a greenfield 400-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) project. The BESS technology aims to diversify EWEC’s energy portfolio, as its total solar photovoltaic power generation capacity will reach 7.5 gigawatts by 2030, the UAE state-run Wam news agency […]
Renewable Energy Oman closer to solar goal with new Sohar factory United Solar Polysilicon has started work on a $1.3 billion polysilicon factory in Oman’s Sohar Port and Freezone, believed to be the first of its kind in the Middle East. Polysilicon, a high-purity form of silicon, is a key raw material in the production of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Operations at the 160,000-square-metre Sohar factory […]
Renewable Energy Masdar opens solar energy plant in the Caribbean A hurricane-resistant solar power project developed by Abu Dhabi’s clean energy company Masdar for Antigua and Barbuda is now operational. Situated on Barbuda, the plant is designed to survive 265 km-per-hour winds and provide a safe and sustainable supply of electrical power for the island. The Green Barbuda project is part of the $50 million […]
Energy Masdar to build solar plants for UAE defence ministry Abu Dhabi’s clean energy giant Masdar and the UAE defence ministry have agreed to develop multi-solar plants across Abu Dhabi. Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and France’s EDF Group, will provide a full turnkey solution for the projects for 25 years, including finance, design, procurement, construction, operations, and maintenance. No other project details were […]
Renewable Energy XLinks reaffirms UK is priority for Morocco power project British renewable power company Xlinks is “100 percent committed to the UK” despite reports suggesting it was refocusing its attention on Germany. Xlinks is overseeing the $22 billion Morocco-UK renewables project, which involves building solar panel and wind farms in the desert of the North African country. Via the installation of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) […]
Analysis Manufacturing Gulf petrochems sidestep curbs from global plastics treaty Major petrochemical exporters such as Saudi Arabia are unlikely to face mandatory production curbs despite latest efforts to craft a global plastics treaty and clamp down on single usage. At a UN Environment Assembly in early 2022, member countries approved a resolution to end plastic pollution and forge an “international legally binding agreement” by the […] May 2, 2024
Renewable Energy Bahrain signs deal with Masdar to develop wind energy UAE clean energy company Masdar has formed a partnership with Bahrain’s Bapco Energies to explore the development of wind energy projects in Bahrain. The two companies will develop up to two gigawatts (GW) in near-shore and offshore wind farms, Masdar said. The collaboration will help Bahrain accelerate the decarbonisation of its critical industrial sectors. Energy, […] May 1, 2024
Renewable Energy Investors warm to Turkey’s geothermal sector Turkey is planning to offset its hydrocarbons deficit by broadening its renewable energy base, with the country’s geothermal sector being targeted by investors as a strong growth market. Turkey’s current installed capacity of 1700 megawatts (MW) – much of which is being used in agriculture to heat greenhouses – ranks it among the leaders in […] April 30, 2024
Opinion Infrastructure The Gulf must act now to protect against future floods Storm crates can offer fast, effective relief and are cost-efficient April 25, 2024
Opinion Oil & Gas A just energy transition cannot be rushed The JP Morgan thesis will get a resounding welcome among oil producers April 24, 2024
Infrastructure Concrete or sponge? Dubai’s post-flooding options In the wake of last week’s floods, retrofitting Dubai with traditional, concrete-based drainage systems would be expensive, time-consuming and complicated. As an alternative, authorities should look to nature-based solutions, industry professionals told AGBI. “Dubai should not repeat the mistakes that have been made in most of the Western world,” said Ronny Berndtsson, professor in water […] April 23, 2024
Opinion Aviation Dubai has faced the ultimate dilemma for an airline In bad weather, airport operators and carriers must make tough decisions fast. Let's cut Emirates some slack April 23, 2024
Renewable Energy Abu Dhabi to generate 50% power from green sources by 2030 Abu Dhabi plans to generate more than half of its electricity from renewable and clean energy by 2030, a senior Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) official has said. The state-owned entity is increasing the emirate’s solar energy production plan to 7.6 gigawatts (GW) by 2030, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported, quoting CEO Othman Juma […] April 19, 2024
Sustainability Aluminium decarbonisation alliance takes shape in UAE Emirates Global Aluminium, the UAE’s largest non-oil industrial company, has formed an alliance with state renewable energy company Masdar to work on decarbonisation projects. The two companies will explore the joint development of renewable energy projects such as battery storage and the production and storage of green hydrogen. They will also work together internationally to […] April 18, 2024
Renewable Energy Developers sought for Abu Dhabi’s Khazna solar plant Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) is seeking developers to build a 1,500 megawatt solar power facility in Abu Dhabi as the emirate ramps up its green energy drive. The utility has issued a request for proposals to qualified companies that have expressed interest in developing the Khazna Solar Photovoltaic project. A total of 27 […] April 17, 2024
Sustainability Masdar City has up to $1bn of projects at design phase Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s sustainability-focused urban community, is working on projects in critical sectors of the UAE, backed by investments of between AED3 and AED4 billion ($817 million and $1 billion). The projects include energy, artificial intelligence (AI), space, life sciences and agriculture, the UAE state-run Wam news agency reported, quoting CEO Ahmed Baghoum. He […] April 17, 2024
Opinion Sustainability The Gulf is well-placed to soar on SAF – but not yet Sustainable aviation fuel is in its infancy but the Gulf has a hydrogen trump card April 16, 2024
Analysis Tech Space trash offers Saudi Arabia a new revenue source Saudi Arabia is targeting lucrative and environmentally critical opportunities in the rubbish removal sector – in outer space. More than 27,000 man-made objects larger than 10 centimetres, such as defunct satellites and spent rocket stages, orbit Earth, according to Nasa. This space debris puts at stake billions of dollars of assets such as spacecraft and […] April 16, 2024
Opinion Sustainability The Gulf is all-in on AI, but it’s thirsty work for a desert region AI data centres in themselves can use vast amounts of scarce water for cooling April 15, 2024
Sustainability Abu Dhabi awards contract for first waste-to-energy facility A joint venture between Dubai’s Alec Engineering and Contracting (Alec) and Lebanon’s Butec has won a contract to design and build Abu Dhabi’s first waste-to-energy plant. The joint venture will collaborate with Hitachi Zosen Innova, a Swiss-based cleantech company, on the project, Alec said in a statement. Located near the Al-Dhafra landfill, the facility – […] April 15, 2024
Sustainability Debt-for-nature swaps may give $100bn boost to climate fight Debt-for-nature swaps, where poorer countries have debt written off in return for protecting ecosystems such as barrier reefs or rainforests, could provide $100 billion for the fight against climate change, a new report has calculated. The UK-based, non-profit International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) based the estimate on the possibility of debt swaps in […] April 15, 2024
Opinion Agriculture Lessons from China: how the UAE can conserve its soils While the challenge of soil regeneration is formidable, it is not insurmountable April 12, 2024
Renewable Energy Atvos in deal to build biomethane plant in Brazil Brazilian ethanol producer Atvos has signed an agreement to build a biomethane factory in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, with investments seen at more than 350 million reais ($69.4 million), it said in a statement on Wednesday. The biomethane plant is expected to have a 28-million cubic meter capacity per crop and will […] April 10, 2024 In association with
Sustainability Spacecraft that spots Gulf gases wins extra funding A Bahraini-British project to develop a spacecraft that will monitor Gulf greenhouse gas emissions from space has been awarded a further £1.4 million ($1.8 million) grant by the UK Space Agency. The partnership between the Bahrain National Space Science Agency, YBA Kanoo Group in Manama, and the University of Leicester and Geospatial Insight of Birmingham […] April 10, 2024
Opinion Sustainability The Middle East is tackling the methane challenge Methane is a major contributor to global emissions and a significant driver of climate change April 9, 2024