By Amjad Saleh and Hazem Hussein
ABU DHABI, UAE, (WAM) – Suhail bin Mohammed Al Mazrouei, minister of energy and infrastructure, stated that the UAE’s leadership in global competitiveness indexes related to energy, particularly green energy, is yet another qualitative achievement to decorate the UAE’s track record of excellence, which continues to grow despite the challenges incurred by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement Sunday, Al Mazrouei said that the UAE’s ranking among the top ten countries in global indexes related to this vital sector in 2020 exemplifies the role of these major strides in boosting the UAE’s excellence throughout the upcoming 50 years and accelerating the achievement of the UAE Centennial 2071.
This is due to the support of wise leadership of president His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president, prime minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and deputy supreme commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
They are also an embodiment of the forward-looking plans related to the future of energy and climate change carried out by the ministry of energy and infrastructure and its strategic partners of government and private entities, which gave birth to the UAE National Energy Strategy 2050 and the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, he added.
Al Mazrouei explained that these strategies aim to raise consumption efficiency by 40 percent and the renewable energy’s contribution to the clean energy mix to 50 percent, taking into account an annual growth of six percent in energy demand. They also aim to reduce the carbon footprint of power generation by 70 percent; reduce total demand for water resources by 21 percent; increase the water productivity index to USD 110 per cubic meter; diminish the water scarcity index by three degrees, and boost the reuse of treated water to 95 percent and the national water storage capacity up to two days.
The UAE exerts efforts towards diversifying energy sources as it is the foundation of achieving a balance between sustainable development and environmental preservation, a testament of which is the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, one of the many progressive renewable energy projects launched by the UAE, he continued.
Al Mazrouei pointed out that the UAE’s view of clean energy as a strategic priority empowered the UAE’s rise to be a leader in innovating ways to enhance the efficiency of the energy sector, reduce natural resource consumption, and offer alternative solutions to drive sustainable development.
