UAE renewable plans: 7% by 2020

Dr Sultan Al Jaber

The UAE is rapidly becoming a hub for renewable energy innovation with projects such as Masdar City growing in popularity. With such development, the CEO of the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) has said that there is now a framework in place for the UAE to see seven percent of its energy needs come from renewable energy sources by 2020.

Speaking at a US university, Dr Sultan Al Jaber said that the Masdar City project can develop practical everyday technologies to be powered by the sun and wind.

In terms of achieving a target by 2020, Al Jaber said that "the framework is in place to achieve that goal. We will make it [alternative energy] commercially viable and offer it to the world."

Masdar City on budget

Masdar City, Abu Dhabi's carbon-neutral metropolis, is reported to be on budget, albeit a few months behind schedule but Al Jaber said considering the extent of what was being attempted with the project, delays were inevitable.

"All the experts, the architects and contractors, none of them knew how to make [Masdar City]. It's never been done in the history of the world," he told the university audience.

"The United Arab Emirates has the third-largest oil reserves in the world, but that does not mean oil and gas will be there forever," said Al Jaber, who is in charge of the US$22 billion Masdar City project that will be a home for 45,000 people, running solely on alternative energy.

"Our interest here is very genuine. It's a logical extension, the next step," he said.

Al Jaber added that the UAE would endeavour to play an "increasingly prominent role in the clean energy sphere, deliver on its commitments and support international climate negotiations and environmental protection".

In the MENA region, the UAE that has actively pursued an alternative energy policy. While some emirates have oil supplies like Abu Dhabi, others such as Dubai have had to diversify their resources, especially in the wake of the global recession and dwindling oil reserves.

Even oil-rich Saudi Arabia recently announced major solar investment with the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) having its roof layered with solar panels.

Relevant articles:

Masdar City: A carbon-neutral metropolis | Qatar's sustainable desire | The Middle East: Renewable energy friendly?

Timon Singh

Timon Singh is a graduate of Liverpool University where he received a degree in Social and Economic History. He has previously worked for BBC Magazines on BBC Who Do You Think You Are? Magazine, the publication for the popular genealogy show.

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