Four units of the Barakah plant. Photo: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Four units of the Barakah plant. Photo: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Four units of the Barakah plant. Photo: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation
Four units of the Barakah plant. Photo: Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation

UAE ahead of the curve as it pursues 2050 net-zero target, Enec chief says


Fareed Rahman
  • English
  • Arabic

The UAE is ahead of the curve as it works towards reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 due to its investment in several clean energy projects, a senior official has said.

The Arab world’s second-largest economy is developing new renewable energy projects, including Barakah nuclear plant, as it aims to become carbon neutral by 2050. It plans to invest Dh600 billion ($163.5bn) to reach the target.

Barakah nuclear plant currently generates 2.8 gigawatts of clean electricity, said Mohamed Al Hammadi, chief executive of Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation.

“The second of our four reactors at the Barakah plant entered commercial operations in March this year,” Mr Al Hammadi, who is also the managing director of Enec, told the World Utilities Congress in Abu Dhabi.

“With all four reactors online, nuclear energy will meet 25 per cent of the UAE’s electricity demand.”

Two units of the nuclear plant are currently operational, while construction on the third unit was recently completed.

The project has also delivered large-scale decarbonisation and “when fully operational, the plant will prevent around 22.4 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions every year”.

The UAE is also building new solar projects to boost the supply of clean energy in the country, including the world’s largest solar plant in Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi, with a total capacity of two gigawatts, and the five-gigawatt Mohammed bin Rashid solar park in Dubai.

The nuclear plant is also expected to drive major economic benefits for the country. Barakah will reduce gas consumption by about 1,000 million cubic feet per day — the equivalent of 205,000 barrels of oil — with savings estimated at $7.4bn per annum in terms of oil barrels, Enec said, citing a recent report by S&P Global.

Barakah is also expected to help the UAE to become a net LNG exporter by 2030 by saving its natural gas resources.

“The Barakah plant and its immediate economic benefits are just the tip of the iceberg,” Mr Al Hammadi said.

“Beyond Barakah is the delivery of the wider UAE peaceful nuclear energy programme. The programme has set forward the need to invest in technologies that can be leveraged to extract greater value and opportunity towards our net-zero ambitions.”

He added that UAE companies are also buying clean energy certificates issued by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Certification programme to demonstrate proof of their use of clean electricity produced at the Barakah plant and Abu Dhabi’s solar facilities.

Enec is also looking to invest in new small modular reactors (SMRs) as well as clean hydrogen to continue driving the UAE’s path to net zero, Mr Al Hammadi said.

Reputation

Taylor Swift

(Big Machine Records)

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Our family matters legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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

Adele: The Stories Behind The Songs
Caroline Sullivan
Carlton Books

Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company

The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.

He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.

“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.

“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.

HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon. 

With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.

Updated: May 10, 2022, 4:11 PM`