Abu Dhabi’s clean energy company Masdar has signed an agreement with Kyrgyzstan’s energy ministry to develop clean energy projects with a capacity to generate up to 1 gigawatt.
The pipeline of projects will start with a 200 megawatt solar photovoltaic plant, which is expected to begin operations by 2026, Masdar said on Tuesday.
“Masdar has considerable experience in Central Asia, and we will leverage our expertise to support the Kyrgyz Republic’s clean energy objectives,” said Mohamed Al Ramahi, chief executive of Masdar.
“Kyrgyzstan is blessed with abundant solar resources, and we see this 200 megawatt plant being the first of a number of projects that will support the nation’s goals on emissions reductions, while increasing clean energy access and security.”
Kyrgyzstan is aiming to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 44 per cent by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The country’s hydro-rich energy sector is characterised by ageing infrastructure and significant losses, which are exacerbated by weather-related shocks and growing demand.
Kyrgyzstan relies on oil and gas imports for more than half of its energy needs, particularly during the winter months, when hydropower production is low.
“The energy system of the Kyrgyz Republic faces challenges meeting the significant demand for electricity from all categories of consumers with our existing resources,” said Kyrgyzstan’s Energy Minister Ibraev Omukeevich.
“The large-scale development of the renewable energy system will also help to improve employment, living conditions and energy supply for the population of the republic, reduce poverty in rural areas, and improve the level of education, as well as introduce new modern technologies.”
In April last year, Masdar signed an initial pact with Kyrgyzstan to explore renewable energy opportunities in the country.
Masdar, which is building a 230MW solar project in Azerbaijan, is also active in Uzbekistan, Armenia and Kazakhstan.
Last month, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company, better known as Taqa, Mubadala Investment Company and Adnoc completed a deal to become shareholders in the company.
It is expected to help Masdar grow rapidly on a global scale under an expanded mandate that covers renewable power, green hydrogen and other clean energy technology.
The UAE, Opec's third-largest oil producer, plans to invest Dh600 billion ($164 billion) by 2050 in renewable and clean energy capacity and achieve net zero emissions in the next three decades.
Established by Mubadala in 2006, Masdar took a leadership role in the global clean energy sector and also helped to drive the nation’s economic diversification and climate action agenda.
Masdar currently operates in 40 countries and has a total investment of about $20 billion.
The company has an ambitious target to grow its capacity to at least 100 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity globally by 2030. The largest share of this capacity will come from wind and solar technology.
Beyond the initial goals, the company seeks to develop in excess of 200 gigawatts of renewable energy.
The specs
Engine: 2.4-litre 4-cylinder
Transmission: CVT auto
Power: 181bhp
Torque: 244Nm
Price: Dh122,900
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Scores in brief:
Boost Defenders 205-5 in 20 overs
(Colin Ingram 84 not out, Cameron Delport 36, William Somerville 2-28)
bt Auckland Aces 170 for 5 in 20 overs
(Rob O’Donnell 67 not out, Kyle Abbott 3-21).
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
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Uniqlo @uniqlo
Warby Parker @warbyparker
Zara @zara
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Coming soon
Torno Subito by Massimo Bottura
When the W Dubai – The Palm hotel opens at the end of this year, one of the highlights will be Massimo Bottura’s new restaurant, Torno Subito, which promises “to take guests on a journey back to 1960s Italy”. It is the three Michelinstarred chef’s first venture in Dubai and should be every bit as ambitious as you would expect from the man whose restaurant in Italy, Osteria Francescana, was crowned number one in this year’s list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
Akira Back Dubai
Another exciting opening at the W Dubai – The Palm hotel is South Korean chef Akira Back’s new restaurant, which will continue to showcase some of the finest Asian food in the world. Back, whose Seoul restaurant, Dosa, won a Michelin star last year, describes his menu as, “an innovative Japanese cuisine prepared with a Korean accent”.
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
The highly experimental chef, whose dishes are as much about spectacle as taste, opens his first restaurant in Dubai next year. Housed at The Royal Atlantis Resort & Residences, Dinner by Heston Blumenthal will feature contemporary twists on recipes that date back to the 1300s, including goats’ milk cheesecake. Always remember with a Blumenthal dish: nothing is quite as it seems.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
Look north
BBC business reporters, like a new raft of government officials, are being removed from the national and international hub of London and surely the quality of their work must suffer.
