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ABU DHABI, 15th January, 2023 (WAM) — The UAE has launched 11 environmentally-friendly energy projects worth AED159 billion in 2022, Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said.
Al Mazrouei told the Emirates News Agency (WAM) in an interview that the UAE’s clean energy production in 2021 will total 7,035.75 megawatts (MW), underscoring the country’s pioneering efforts in the clean energy sector.
He also highlighted the launch of the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the UAE’s first unified energy strategy that aims to integrate a renewable and clean energy mix to achieve a balance between economic needs and climate goals while reducing the impact on other Fuel depends on resources for the next three years.
He added that to ensure the sustainability of the renewable energy sector, the UAE has adopted the latest innovations that drive sustainable development paths, noting that the UAE was one of the first countries to ratify the Paris Agreement.
He went on to point out that the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure determined the future characteristics of the energy industry in the next 50 years by revising the “National Energy Strategy 2050”, drafting the “National Hydrogen Energy Strategy”, and relying on the achievements of the past five years. decades.
Al Mazrouei emphasized that the contribution of clean energy to the energy mix will reach 19.63% in 2021, that of renewable energy will reach 12%, and that of peaceful nuclear energy will reach 7.55%.
Volatility in global energy supply presents challenges related to energy security and thus will lead to a focus on using the lowest priced resources available locally to meet the country’s energy needs while increasing exports from the non-oil sector from the UAE, he added.
He noted that the UAE has great potential in solar energy, whose low cost will enhance the country’s energy security and competitiveness, in addition to playing a key role in achieving carbon neutrality, affirming that the rise of renewable energy requires transport upgrades and Investments in storage technology are required to reliably meet energy demands.
He further added that with the expected decline in the cost of storage and its commercialization, long-term storage technologies will play an important role in decarbonizing the grid in a reliable and affordable manner.
Talking about the performance of the international oil market in 2023, Al Mazrouei highlighted several relevant factors that will drive the price increase in 2023, such as the end of China’s zero-COVID policy, the US decision to replenish the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, sanctions on Russian seaborne oil products and persistent global inflation.
He then touched on other factors that could have a negative impact on prices, including a global recession, lower demand for oil in China and a resumption of trade between Russia and Europe.
Al Mazrouei emphasized that the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant is a leading innovative energy project in the process of energy transition. Once fully operational, its four reactors will offset 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions per year, a major cause of climate change.
The new successes and progress achieved in the development of the four Barakah reactors, the first operational multi-site peaceful nuclear energy project in the Arab world, have played a key role in reducing the carbon footprint of the UAE’s energy sector, he added Say, to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
He then noted that once commercially operational, the third reactor would add an additional 1,400 MW of carbon-free electricity to the UAE’s grid, which would contribute to the country’s energy security and fight against climate change. Successive achievements of the Barakah factory have highlighted the UAE’s strong capabilities in major project planning and management.
Al Mazrouei affirmed that the UAE is a model for the development of microreactors and new generation reactors and is paving the way for other carbon-free energy sources including hydrogen, noting that the country’s hydrogen strategy is based on 10 key pillars that will help it achieve The goal of becoming one of the top ten hydrogen producers by 2031.
“Currently refineries produce and use 300,000 tons of gray hydrogen per year. However, there are several DEWA/Siemens pilot projects utilizing blue hydrogen-based ammonia exported to Germany and Japan, as more than 10 projects are underway, seven There are major projects under development while some are undergoing feasibility studies,” he added.
Regarding the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) and its role in supporting the preparations for COP28, Al Mazrouei said that ADSW is supporting global sustainable development efforts and the UAE’s efforts to host COP28.
He concluded that ADSW was a groundbreaking platform that highlighted the country’s commitment to support climate action and brought together international leaders and sustainable development experts.
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