Today's Edition
Mouza Hasan Ali Hasan Almarzooqi
In a world that frequently witnesses severe climate disasters that threaten ecosystems, hamper socioeconomic development, and make adaptation to climate change more difficult, countries are trying to mitigate the effects of climate change and protect the environment in various ways, including a just and safe transition to renewable energy sources.
Wind power is an important source of clean energy, as it produces no emissions or air pollutants, prompting the countries to increase its production and include it in their energy mix as a means of reducing their carbon footprint and protecting the environment.
The same reasons have prompted the UAE to expand its investments in renewable energy projects, the most recent of which is wind energy. To further enhance the UAE's efforts to achieve a sustainable future, His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, has inaugurated the UAE Wind Program on Sir Bani Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
The programme is a quantum leap forward, following the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, which is based on bolstering the foundations of sustainability in development. In developing wind power, the UAE uses the latest innovative technologies to capture low wind speeds and produce 103.5 megawatts (MW) of energy, which will feed the UAE's electricity grid at an affordable cost and support the diversification of the country's energy mix, aiding its efforts to achieve zero emissions by 2050.
The project will displace 120,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide and achieve sustainable economic and social development. For this reason, the COP28 summit, hosted by the UAE, prioritises renewable energy on its agenda, urging countries to take immediate measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, strengthen investment in renewable energy, and achieve economic development that is capable of adapting to the impacts of climate change. By using solar, nuclear, wind, and hydrogen power as alternatives in its march toward energy transition, the UAE has established itself as a regional and global leader.
It pursues that goal by doubling the contribution of renewable energy to the country's activities and injecting more investments into clean energy projects to ensure development and meet local energy demand. The UAE's investments in renewable energy are not limited to local projects but extend to other regions, including Africa.
The country has invested about $4.5 billion in clean energy in Africa, as part of extensive investments across the world of up to $163 billion by 2050 to enhance these countries' ability to adapt and support sustainable development. Now, the UAE's efforts in the field of clean energy have received a strong boost with the inauguration of the UAE Wind Program.
At the external level, the UAE's investments support the efforts of other countries to adapt to extreme climate events and help humanity move toward a better future that is less vulnerable to climate risks.
