Clean, green, and lean
dubai — The UAE has vowed to offer its residents a clean city by tapping alternative sources of renewable energy aided by smart solutions that will lead to savings in power consumption.
Addressing the Global Leaders Forum on Tuesday, Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Industry, said: “The target is to reduce CO2 and make UAE the most environmentally clean country in the world.”
Better awareness among residents and efficient use of power and water can both help the nation gain better energy efficiency. Solar remains the critical resource and focus for the UAE among other options. Renewable energy is on an upward trajectory in the UAE. Power has been the main focus of activity, led by solar, waste-to-energy and wind, although there are pilot projects in thermal cooling and transport fuels. The momentum for renewable energy began in 2008-09, when Abu Dhabi set a target to achieve 7 per cent renewable energy power generation capacity (approximately 1,500MW) by 2020. Dubai then announced a target of 5 per cent renewable energy power consumption (approximately 1,000MW) by 2030.
Al Mazrouei said: “Cleaner forms of energy will increase the Carbon Capture Storage [CCS] and will help achieve the target to reduce energy consumption levels by 40 per cent by 2050. We are working towards encouraging future buildings to conserve and produce energy and this can be achieved by improving the standards of new buildings, retrofitting
The target is to reduce CO2 and make UAE the most environmentally clean country in the world Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Industry
systems of the existing buildings and changing consumers behaviours to witness the energy conservation and save the cost considerably.”
On the oil front, Al Mazrouei who is also the president of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, stated at the forum that the global deal to rein in oil output has removed “85 per cent of the problem” of oversupply, and Opec and allied producers are seeking ways to cooperate after the agreement ends.
“We will meet in June to decide next course of action as the deal is for the whole year for the compliance on cuts,” he added. The minister further stated that the biggest challenge for the UAE’s Minister of Energy and Industry is ensuring water security for the country’s future generations.
“The UAE has already put in place a strategy to reduce water consumption. This is the priority for everyone to look at now for the sake of future generations. We
Adoption of smart solutions will help save energy consumption right from generation to transmission
Mazin Albahkali, regional sales and marketing director for Menat at GE Power
need to stop taking any water from the ground water resources, especially for agricultural purposes. The current sources need to be replaced to increase the efficiency and keep it for the future generations,” he added.
The minister stressed on the need to look for new methods for making availability of clean water. “We burn gas for water desalination, which does not make sense — economically and environmentally. The world is rallying towards clean energy. The fossil of future will be much cleaner than what it is today. In the UAE, our target is to produce clean energy by 70 per cent from the current levels,” he said.
Stressing on the renewable source of energy, the minister said renewable is the choice and destiny for us in the UAE. As part of diversification to sustain growth, the UAE’s leading oil producing company is planning to double its refining capacity and triple its petrochemical manufacturing capacity.
The forum had a panel discussion on ‘The Future of Energy’ moderated by Khaled Khanfer, director — Oil & Gas Audit Expert, KPMG. The speakers discussed progress made so far in developing alternative energy sources, the potential for smart grid technology, and how smart technology is being used to monitor power usage and preserve resources. The panel sesssion included Dr Raed Bkayrat, managing director, Clean Energy Business Council; Ahmed S. Nada, VP & Region Executive, First Solar; Andrea Di Gregorio, director, Energy Efficiency and Renewables, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality Department; Bader Al Lamki, executive director — Clean Energy, Masdar; and Mazin Albahkali, regional sales and marketing director, Grid Solutions Menat, GE Power.
Albahkali said: “The UAE is on a right track to offer the clean energy and having 50 per cent target of energy mix will give right stability and balance in the system. The renewable energy sources are cheaper and more efficient. Estimates suggest that in 2017, the UAE generated more than 95 per cent of its power from gas, under 3 per cent from oil and the rest from solar and other sources. Adoption of smart solutions will help save energy consumption right from generation to transmission.”
— sandhya@khaleejtimes.com