UAE Ministry of Energy teams up with Engie subsidiary to develop clean energy projects

Country pushes ahead with aggressive decarbonisation goals

Engie Solutions and the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure will jointly develop "technical co-operation” on clean energy projects. Photo: Engie Solutions

The UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure signed a preliminary agreement with Engie Solutions, a subsidiary of French utility company Engie, to develop clean energy projects and support the country's decarbonisation goals.

As part of the agreement, they will jointly develop "technical co-operation” to generate clean energy projects on MoEI’s assets, while exploring other energy-related corporate social responsibility initiatives, Engie said in a statement on Thursday.

“Developing renewable energy fulfils numerous national priorities, including helping tackle carbon emissions, create new high-tech jobs and inspire innovation,” said Sharif Al Olama, undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for Energy and Petroleum affairs.

“This project adds to UAE’s growing capabilities in the renewable sector; the UAE already hosts the largest single-site solar park in the world based on the independent power producer model. We will continue to pursue such projects in line with UAE’s renewable energy goals."

The UAE has invested more than $40 billion in the clean energy sector and further plans to invest a total of Dh600bn ($163.5bn) in clean and renewable energy projects over the next three decades as it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The UAE’s clean energy capacity is “on track” to reach 14 gigawatts by 2030 as a result of new initiatives and projects, Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, said at the RAK Energy Summit on Wednesday.

It is building the world’s largest solar plant in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi with a capacity of 2 gigawatts, as well as the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park in Dubai with a 5 gigawatt capacity.

An aerial view of Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park in Dubai in January 2022. Solar is essential to the UAE's new energy mix. All photos by Pawan Singh / The National

The fifth phase of a clean energy project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park will further help reduce carbon emissions.

An aerial view of the Solar Park in the Dubai desert.

Marco Garcia, chief commercial officer of Nextracker, a US company which has provided photovoltaic technology used in the project.

The Innovation Centre at the MBR Solar Park in Dubai, where machine learning is being utilised to track direct sunlight to maximise efficient energy capture, storage and transmission.

The solar powered panels follow the path of the sun to help the emirate reach its clean energy transition goals.

Omar Al Hassan, chief executive of Shuaa Energy 3, the company operating the scheme, says the vast project will ultimately create clean energy to power more than 250,000 houses in Dubai.

Robotic cleaning systems are installed on the solar panels.

More than 2.5 million photovoltaic modules have been fitted during phase 5 of the project.

Meanwhile, Engie is targeting a renewable energy capacity of 80 gigawatts by 2030 from 35 gigawatts at present.

The company is planning to start new projects in Europe, the US, the Middle East and Africa and Australia, Frederic Claux, Engie’s country manager for GCC and Pakistan told The National last week.

Engie aims to expand in the renewables sector in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and is planning to bid for the 1.5 gigawatts Al Ajban solar project in Abu Dhabi as well as new renewable projects in Saudi Arabia, he said.

“Our latest partnership with the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure extends our partnership with regional governments to support green energy and mobility projects,” said Ian Harfield, chief executive for Engie Solutions GCC.

“Such projects will positively impact the region’s challenges while fostering innovation in the clean energy sector."