Dubai: The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MoCCAE) recently hosted the 2nd National Dialogue for Climate Ambition (NDCA), focusing on the energy industry.
Themed, “The energy sector: A catalyst towards carbon neutrality”, the session brought together 52 representatives of relevant public and private sector entities, including leading UAE-based power companies.
Attendees of the session engaged in discussions on the global energy perspective. The gathering also studied the status of the local sectoral landscape, and explored emerging solutions that can help build a net-zero energy system, such as clean hydrogen.
We are currently in the middle of a clean energy transition that supports the global decarbonization drive. We are taking effective measures to diversify our energy mix and reduce emissions from the sector.
Ms. Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri
Minister of Climate Change and the Environment, remarked while addressing the gathering of energy industry stakeholders.
The UAE Minister elaborated that, “In the UAE, we see significant opportunities to generate the clean energy that the world wants and needs while revitalizing the national economy, reducing our carbon footprint, and creating future jobs. Through our endeavors at home and abroad, we are contributing to shaping the new energy economy that will be more electrified, efficient, just, inclusive, interconnected, and clean.”
THE UAE ENERGY OUTLOOK
Launched in 2017, National Energy Strategy governs the UAE’s energy outlook. The Plan is targeting to achieve a 50:50 energy mix of clean energy (44 percent renewables and 6 percent nuclear power) and fossil fuel-generated energy by 2050.
The 50:50 scenario is projected to reduce CO2 emissions from the power sector by up to 70 percent compared to business as usual for the year 2050.
Guided by the Strategy, the UAE has increased its clean energy share. Today, it is home to three of the largest-in-capacity and lowest-in-cost solar plants in the world.
It is also the 1st country in the region to build a commercial-scale carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) facility and deploy nuclear power for peaceful purposes with the launch of the 5,600 MW Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.
OTHER AVENUES
The country is also exploring the potential of clean hydrogen as a sustainable source of energy and has launched the 1st industrial-scale green hydrogen project in the region. The country’s clean energy capacity is on track to reach 14 GW by 2030.
NATIONAL DIALOGUE FOR CLIMATE AMBITION
Running from May to September 2022, NDCA serves as a national platform to raise climate ambition and foster decarbonization efforts in hard-to-abate sectors, including manufacturing, cement, waste, transport, and energy. It aims to establish a national sustainability outlook and inform the UAE Net-Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative.