Offshore wind additions are expected to account for one fifth of the global wind market by 2026, the International Energy Agency says. Reuters
Offshore wind additions are expected to account for one fifth of the global wind market by 2026, the International Energy Agency says. Reuters
Offshore wind additions are expected to account for one fifth of the global wind market by 2026, the International Energy Agency says. Reuters
Offshore wind additions are expected to account for one fifth of the global wind market by 2026, the International Energy Agency says. Reuters

Abu Dhabi's NPCC secures $99m contract to build Taiwan wind farm


Alvin R Cabral
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Abu Dhabi's National Petroleum Construction Company, which is wholly owned by National Marine Dredging Company, secured a $99 million contract from Taiwan's Yunneng Wind Power for work on the territory's biggest offshore wind farm project.

The contract is for the installation of monopiles — the most advanced type of foundation for the construction of offshore wind turbines — for the Yunlin farm, NPCC said in a filing on Monday to the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange, where its shares are traded. The company did not provide further details.

Demand for renewable energy resources has risen as the world tackles major environmental issues, most notably climate change and global warming.

The growth of renewable capacity is projected to accelerate in the next five years, accounting for almost 95 per cent of the increase in global power capacity through 2026, the International Energy Agency said in a recent report.

Wind energy capacity reportedly trails only the solar photovoltaic industry in terms of renewable energy expansion. Total offshore wind capacity is estimated to be more than triple by 2026, with global capacity additions set to hit 21 gigawatts, the agency in Paris said.

By then, offshore wind additions are expected to account for one fifth of the global wind market, which would be a "major milestone", it said.

The Yunlin offshore project — developed at a reported cost of $3 billion — is being built in the Taiwan Strait, eight to 17 kilometres off the west coast of Taiwan, at depths of 7 to 35 metres, its website says.

It spans 82 square kilometres and comprises 80 wind turbine generators with a capacity of 640 megawatts, which will be fed into the power grid using two onshore substations at Yunlin County's Taixi and Sihu townships.

In January, NPCC was awarded a $2.23bn contract by Saudi Aramco, the world's top oil-exporting company, for work related to the Zulf marine field in the kingdom.

National Petroleum Construction Company, which merged with National Marine Dredging Company in 2021, operates in the Arabian Gulf, South Asia and South-East Asia, with plans to expand to Africa and the Caspian region. Pawan Singh / The National
National Petroleum Construction Company, which merged with National Marine Dredging Company in 2021, operates in the Arabian Gulf, South Asia and South-East Asia, with plans to expand to Africa and the Caspian region. Pawan Singh / The National

This follows a number of deals won by NPCC in 2021, including a $744m contract from Abu Dhabi National Oil Company to develop the offshore Belbazem block to boost its light crude production capacity to 45,000 barrels per day.

The company also signed agreements with Egypt’s Petroleum Projects and Technical Consultations and France's Technip Energies to explore industrial opportunities in the UAE and wider Middle East and North Africa region.

In December, NMDC won a Dh1.3bn ($353.9m) contract from Abu Dhabi Ports for work related to the Shamal Development marine project.

NPCC merged with NMDC in 2021 and operates in the Arabian Gulf, South Asia and South-east Asia. It has plans to expand to Africa and the Caspian region. The company also owns a fleet of 23 offshore vessels with modern equipment to support its shallow and deep-water operations in the oil and gas sector.

 

 

RESULTS

6.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh82.500 (Dirt) 1,400m

Winner Meshakel, Royston Ffrench (jockey), Salem bin Ghadayer (trainer)

7.05pm Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m

Winner Gervais, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.

7.40pm Handicap (TB) Dh92,500 (Turf) 2,410m

Winner Global Heat, Pat Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.

8.15pm Handicap (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,900m

Winner Firnas, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.

8.50pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (D) 1,600m

Winner Rebel’s Romance, William Buick, Charlie Appleby

9.25pm Dubai Trophy (TB) Conditions Dh183,650 (T) 1,200m

Winner Topper Bill, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar

10pm Handicap (TB) Dh102,500 (T) 1,400m

Winner Wasim, Mickael Barzalona, Ismail Mohammed.

The President's Cake

Director: Hasan Hadi

Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem 

Rating: 4/5

Real estate tokenisation project

Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.

The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.

Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.

TO A LAND UNKNOWN

Director: Mahdi Fleifel

Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa

Rating: 4.5/5

The Vile

Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah

Director: Majid Al Ansari

Rating: 4/5

The Sky Is Pink

Director: Shonali Bose

Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf

Three stars

The biog

Alwyn Stephen says much of his success is a result of taking an educated chance on business decisions.

His advice to anyone starting out in business is to have no fear as life is about taking on challenges.

“If you have the ambition and dream of something, follow that dream, be positive, determined and set goals.

"Nothing and no-one can stop you from succeeding with the right work application, and a little bit of luck along the way.”

Mr Stephen sells his luxury fragrances at selected perfumeries around the UAE, including the House of Niche Boutique in Al Seef.

He relaxes by spending time with his family at home, and enjoying his wife’s India cooking. 

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWilliam%20Friedkin%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKiefer%20Sutherland%2C%20Jason%20Clarke%2C%20Jake%20Lacy%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMascotte%20Health%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2023%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMiami%2C%20US%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Bora%20Hamamcioglu%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EOnline%20veterinary%20service%20provider%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%241.2%20million%20raised%20in%20seed%20funding%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

How will Gen Alpha invest?

Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.

“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.

Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.

He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.

Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

Updated: April 18, 2022, 10:10 AM