Making solar panel cells in the UAE could boost the growing renewable energy sector.
That’s according to Zoheir Hamedi, regional programme officer for the Middle East and North Africa at the International Renewable Energy Agency.
Mr Hamedi said a forthcoming report from Irena assessing renewable technology manufacturing in the Arab region, including the UAE, pinpointed one area that needed boosting.
"The gap which exists … is making the cells which go onto the panels," he told The National during Irena's 15th council meeting in Abu Dhabi last week.
“The UAE can already make panels here but they import the solar cells from mainly China. This … is highly automated and where all Arab countries share a gap.”
Mr Hamedi said a project to make the cells in Dubai’s Jebel Ali freezone was under way and this could allow the UAE to export them across the region. “They can compete in the regional market to provide panels in Arab League countries as customs are low.”
At the Irena conference in Abu Dhabi, it was revealed that jobs in the renewable energy industry worldwide hit 10.3 million last year — a 5.3 per cent increase on 2016. Irena estimates that jobs in renewables in Middle East, North Africa and Turkey stand at about 119,000. Two thirds are in Turkey, while Algeria, Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia account for about 30,000 jobs. Firm data for the UAE and Saudi Arabia is not yet available. But the UAE is moving towards potentially creating up to 100,000 jobs in the renewable energy sector by 2030. And it aims to get 44 per cent of power from renewables and nuclear by 2050.
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UAE looks to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in renewable sector
The UAE is steadfast in its support and deployment of renewable energy solutions
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“In Dubai, studies show it’s cheaper to produce electricity from renewables than importing gas. Policy makers in the UAE are aware of that. That’s why we’ve seen targets for UAE jump so quickly,” said Mr Hamedi, who is from Algeria.
The region is embracing renewables for different reasons. For exporters such as the UAE, domestic consumption is rising and renewables allow the country to preserve enough oil resources to export to international markets. For importers such as Jordan, where 97 per cent of oil and gas is brought in from abroad, they need to develop renewables to reduce this, ease the financial burden and free money for development.
But the UAE is also embracing renewables to diversify the economy, create jobs and boost other sectors. “They are looking at renewables from the window of social and economic benefit,” said Mr Hamedi, who has visited the Mohammed bin Rashid solar park in Dubai. But moves in the renewable direction started early such as the establishment of Masdar in 2006. “The leading country in the perspective has been the UAE since the very beginning.
“The UAE is doing very good in that perspective but if there is one thing to work on – it’s capacity building to include more and more Emiratis into the sector.”
The two-day Irena meeting ended on Wednesday and was attended by delegations from across the globe including Germany, Ireland, Jordan, UAE, Turkey and China on ways to boost renewables. A spokesperson for the Irish delegation said membership of Irena was important because it provided practical advice and support.
"Membership provides improved access for Ireland to data and expertise which complements EU and IEA (International Energy Agency) research, analysis and support in relation to renewable energy technology and policy developments," the spokesperson said.
Mr Hamedi, meanwhile, also commented on the growing public awareness in the UAE about of the importance of recycling.
“I’ve been travelling around the Arab world since my childhood. The Arab world is my area ... and the country where you see bins for plastic and paper is UAE. The industry exists,” he said.
“[Abu Dhabi] is the best location for a renewable energy organisation to be based. It sends a message to all oil-exporting countries that this is the energy of future and we should all be involved in it and all have an interest in developing.”
Ibrahim's play list
Completed an electrical diploma at the Adnoc Technical Institute
Works as a public relations officer with Adnoc
Apart from the piano, he plays the accordion, oud and guitar
His favourite composer is Johann Sebastian Bach
Also enjoys listening to Mozart
Likes all genres of music including Arabic music and jazz
Enjoys rock groups Scorpions and Metallica
Other musicians he likes are Syrian-American pianist Malek Jandali and Lebanese oud player Rabih Abou Khalil
Specs
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UNSC Elections 2022-23
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Countries so far running:
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
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Australia 580
Pakistan 240 and 335
Result: Australia win by an innings and five runs
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ABU DHABI ORDER OF PLAY
Starting at 10am:
Daria Kasatkina v Qiang Wang
Veronika Kudermetova v Annet Kontaveit (10)
Maria Sakkari (9) v Anastasia Potapova
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova v Ons Jabeur (15)
Donna Vekic (16) v Bernarda Pera
Ekaterina Alexandrova v Zarina Diyas
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
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'Avengers: Infinity War'
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Four stars
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
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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.
