The UAE is expected to meet more than 50 per cent of its power needs from renewable sources by 2050 due to the addition of nuclear and solar power to grid, according to the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy.
The country had set a target to achieve at least half of its energy needs from clean energy sources by 2050.
"You will be surprised that we will exceed that [the current target],” Awaidha Al Marar told a panel discussion organised by Goals House as part of UN General Assembly virtual meetings.
He added that the UAE accounts for roughly 70 per cent of all renewable energy projects in the GCC.
"The UAE [is] either the second or the third ranking worldwide on investment in concentrated solar power plants,” he added.
The UAE accounts for 4 per cent of global crude output, much of it is from oilfields in Abu Dhabi. The country is diversifying its energy mix, adding solar and nuclear sources to its grid, as it looks to free up crude for export. Meanwhile, its capital Abu Dhabi intends to generate half of its power requirements from clean energy sources by 2030.
The UAE has also ramped up nationwide efforts to increase its renewable energy capacity at a time of record low oil prices. In April, a planned 2 gigawatts solar scheme in Abu Dhabi – the oil hub for the UAE – received the world's lowest tariff on the basis of levellised costs of electricity.
Emirates Water and Electricity Company, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi Power Corporation, said it received a cost-competitive tariff for solar PV energy of 4.97 fils per kilowatt hour (1.35 US cents/kWh)
The Dhafrah project, which will be built through an independent power producer model, will cover an area of 20 square kilometres and could power 110,000 households across the UAE, according to Ewec.
IPPs are typically not owned by the state but they build and operate power plants for the sale of electricity to buyers, which could include a utility, the government or end users.
With the addition of the latest project to the grid, Abu Dhabi's total solar power generation capacity will stand at 3.2GW.
The UAE also connected Unit 1 of the Barakah nuclear power plant to grid, with the plant currently operating at 50 per cent capacity.
The power plant was connected to grid last month.
Mr Al Marar said the UAE was redoubling efforts to curb carbon dioxide emissions as part of its commitments to UN Sustainability Development Goals.
"We've achieved affordable energy and water for 100 per cent. We've achieved almost 98.5 per cent with regard to fuel for cooking,” he told the panel.
"The issue of carbon dioxide, we are still on the border average. But I can tell you a good news that when the nuclear plant is fully operated and the new [solar plant] Al Dhafrah is in operation as well that will stabilise the carbon dioxide target emission,” he added.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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.
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Other IPL batting records
Most sixes: 292 – Chris Gayle
Most fours: 491 – Gautam Gambhir
Highest individual score: 175 not out – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Highest strike-rate: 177.29 – Andre Russell
Highest strike-rate in an innings: 422.22 – Chris Morris (for Delhi Daredevils against Rising Pune Supergiant in 2017)
Highest average: 52.16 – Vijay Shankar
Most centuries: 6 – Chris Gayle
Most fifties: 36 – Gautam Gambhir
Fastest hundred (balls faced): 30 – Chris Gayle (for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Pune Warriors in 2013)
Fastest fifty (balls faced): 14 – Lokesh Rahul (for Kings XI Punjab against Delhi Daredevils in 2018)
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
You Were Never Really Here
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Starring: Joaquim Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov
Four stars
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
Al Jazira's foreign quartet for 2017/18
Romarinho, Brazil
Lassana Diarra, France
Sardor Rashidov, Uzbekistan
Mbark Boussoufa, Morocco
Race card
1.45pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.
2.15pm: Maiden Dh75,000 1,200m.
2.45pm: Handicap Dh95,000 1,200m.
3.15pm: Handicap Dh120,000 1,400m.
3.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,400m.
4.15pm: Handicap Dh90,000 1,800m.
4.45pm: Handicap Dh80,000 1,950m.
The National selections:
1.45pm: Galaxy Road – So Hi Speed
2.15pm: Majestic Thunder – Daltrey
2.45pm: Call To War – Taamol
3.15pm: Eqtiraan - Bochart
3.45pm: Kidd Malibu – Initial
4.15pm: Arroway – Arch Gold
4.35pm: Compliance - Muqaatil
Pathaan
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Siddharth%20Anand%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Shah%20Rukh%20Khan%2C%20Deepika%20Padukone%2C%20John%20Abraham%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%203%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Under 19 Cricket World Cup, Asia Qualifier
Fixtures
Friday, April 12, Malaysia v UAE
Saturday, April 13, UAE v Nepal
Monday, April 15, UAE v Kuwait
Tuesday, April 16, UAE v Singapore
Thursday, April 18, UAE v Oman
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Aaron Benjamin, Akasha Mohammed, Alishan Sharafu, Anand Kumar, Ansh Tandon, Ashwanth Valthapa, Karthik Meiyappan, Mohammed Faraazuddin, Rishab Mukherjee, Niel Lobo, Osama Hassan, Vritya Aravind, Wasi Shah
