Calls are growing for the Government to support the fledgling clean energy sector through subsidies that have spurred the growth of renewables in other parts of the world.
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Solar and wind farms have been set up in China, the US and Europe with government payments and loans in a bid to allow renewables to compete with cheaper fossil fuels. Governments in the Gulf region, however, have yet to offer similar support despite ambitious renewables targets.
Last week Sultan Al Mansouri, the Minister of Economy, became the highest-ranking government official to come out in favour of a green subsidy.
"If this is an objective that we want to achieve, we need also to give the incentives to hopefully achieve these objectives," Mr Al Mansouri said on the sidelines of a conference in Dubai.
He said the Ministry of Economy could examine, in tandem with other government bodies, a subsidy in which the Government covers a quarter of the cost of installing renewable projects, similar to models deployed in some EU nations. "It could work - why not? I'm sure the Europeans did not really propose something like that and implement it unless they had done their homework."
Mr Al Mansouri joins a host of other advocates of green subsidies for the UAE, many of whom come from within the industry.
"I'm very happy that this is also being discussed on a federal level, so that is something that gives hope," said Frank Wouters, the director of Masdar Power, a unit of the clean energy company owned by the Abu Dhabi Government.
Abu Dhabi and Dubai are studying feed-in tariffs, which pay utilities for the difference between the cost of renewable and conventional power. That gap is particularly large in the Gulf because fossil fuels are already generously subsidised.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, the emirate's utility, is hiring consultants to study how to deploy a feed-in tariff, and Nejib Zaafrani, the chief executive of the policy-setting Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, has said a subsidy could arrive within the next two years.
Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi's Executive Council has been weighing up strategies for reaching its target of drawing 7 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2020 - a goal industry executives estimate will require a new 100-megawatt plant every year.
One option is for Abu Dhabi to follow the same practice as it did with Shams 1. Masdar's US$600 million (Dh2.2 billion) thermal solar plant in Al Gharbia was able to go ahead once the Government granted it a "green payment" - essentially, a one-time subsidy.
That could be a good model for supporting future large-scale installations, including a planned 100MW photovoltaic plant called Nour 1 and a smaller wind turbine array on Sir Bani Yas Island that have yet to go before the Executive Council for approval, Mr Wouters said.
Rather than setting a long-term feed-in tariff that would need adjustment over time because of the changing costs of renewable and conventional energy, the Government could tailor a subsidy to each project at the time of installation.
"In terms of the type of subsidy, you have to be smart about it," Mr Wouters said. "It's never good to have a one-size-fits-all approach."
Solar companies in Spain, Germany and the Czech Republic stumbled when subsidies were rolled back to take into account the decreasing cost of solar technology and budget concerns. Small installations, such as rooftop solar panels that measure their output in kilowatts rather than megawatts, would need a feed-in tariff to be practical, Mr Wouters added. Abu Dhabi institutions have installed 2.3MW of solar panels across the capital as a test run for the roll-out of a rooftop solar programme of up to 500MW.
A solar subsidy would also help to increase the number of jobs in the solar industry, said Vahid Fotuhi, the chairman of the Emirates Solar Industry Association.
"We would see a 10-fold increase in the number of jobs created if a feed-in tariff is adopted and we start seeing demand," Mr Fotuhi said.
"These are technicians, these are electricians, these are installers, these are engineers - all these are jobs. There will be thousands of them."
Industries that have experienced rising electricity costs could also benefit from increased power generation, Mr Al Mansouri said.
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"It is taking quite a sizeable chunk of their operational costs, and at the same time because of the current economic situation in the world, it also becomes a challenge for them to be able to compete," he said, adding Abu Dhabi's planned nuclear plant, set to begin generating power in 2017, could provide some relief.
"The future is bright for us, definitely. But we need to address these issues and bridge it between now and then."
ayee@thenational.ae
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Race card
6.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (Dirt) 1.600m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 2,000m
7.50pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 82,500 (D) 1,600m
8.15pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 1,200m
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) Dh 132,500 (D) 2,000m
9.25pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 120,000 (D) 1,400m
SM Town Live is on Friday, April 6 at Autism Rocks Arena, Dubai. Tickets are Dh375 at www.platinumlist.net
Honeymoonish
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Grand Slam Los Angeles results
Men:
56kg – Jorge Nakamura
62kg – Joao Gabriel de Sousa
69kg – Gianni Grippo
77kg – Caio Soares
85kg – Manuel Ribamar
94kg – Gustavo Batista
110kg – Erberth Santos
Women:
49kg – Mayssa Bastos
55kg – Nathalie Ribeiro
62kg – Gabrielle McComb
70kg – Thamara Silva
90kg – Gabrieli Pessanha
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Women’s World T20, Asia Qualifier, in Bangkok
UAE fixtures Mon Nov 20, v China; Tue Nov 21, v Thailand; Thu Nov 23, v Nepal; Fri Nov 24, v Hong Kong; Sun Nov 26, v Malaysia; Mon Nov 27, Final
(The winners will progress to the Global Qualifier)
If you go...
Etihad flies daily from Abu Dhabi to Zurich, with fares starting from Dh2,807 return. Frequent high speed trains between Zurich and Vienna make stops at St. Anton.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
What is 'Soft Power'?
Soft power was first mentioned in 1990 by former US Defence Secretary Joseph Nye.
He believed that there were alternative ways of cultivating support from other countries, instead of achieving goals using military strength.
Soft power is, at its root, the ability to convince other states to do what you want without force.
This is traditionally achieved by proving that you share morals and values.
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine 2.4L four-cylinder
Gearbox Nine-speed automatic
Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km
TALE OF THE TAPE
Floyd Mayweather
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
Conor McGregor
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
Results
5pm: Al Maha Stables – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: Reem Baynounah, Fernando Jara (jockey), Mohamed Daggash (trainer)
5.30pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: AF Afham, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
6pm: Emirates Fillies Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Ghallieah, Sebastien Martino, Jean-Claude Pecout
6.30pm: Emirates Colts Classic – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Yas Xmnsor, Saif Al Balushi, Khalifa Al Neyadi
7pm: The President’s Cup – Group 1 (PA) Dh2,500,000 (T) 2,200m; Winner: Somoud, Adrie de Vries, Jean de Roualle
7.30pm: The President’s Cup – Listed (TB) Dh380,000 (T) 1,400m; Winner: Haqeeqy, Dane O’Neill, John Hyde.
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How do Sim card scams work?
Sim swap frauds are a form of identity theft.
They involve criminals conning mobile phone operators into issuing them with replacement Sim cards by claiming to be the victim, often pretending their phone has been lost or stolen in order to secure a new Sim.
They use the victim's personal details - obtained through criminal methods - to convince such companies of their identity.
The criminal can then access any online service that requires security codes to be sent to a user's mobile phone, such as banking services.
Results
2.15pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Arrab, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer).
2.45pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 1,700m; Winner: AF Mahaleel, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel.
3.15pm: Sheikh Ahmed bin Rashid Al Maktoum handicap (TB) Dh200,000 2,000m; Winner: Dolmen, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
3.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 1,200m; Winner: Amang Alawda, Sandro Paiva, Bakhit Al Ketbi.
4.15pm: The Crown Prince of Sharjah Cup Prestige (PA) Dh200,000 1,200m; Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.
4.45pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 2,000m; Winner: Al Jazi, Jesus Rosales, Eric Lemartinel.
THE%20SPECS
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Profile
Company: Justmop.com
Date started: December 2015
Founders: Kerem Kuyucu and Cagatay Ozcan
Sector: Technology and home services
Based: Jumeirah Lake Towers, Dubai
Size: 55 employees and 100,000 cleaning requests a month
Funding: The company’s investors include Collective Spark, Faith Capital Holding, Oak Capital, VentureFriends, and 500 Startups.
