Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company – Masdar, a pioneering clean energy company, has inaugurated a major wind power project as part of the UAE Wind Program. This initiative is a significant milestone as it marks the first time the UAE has incorporated utility-scale wind power into its energy mix.
Key Details of the Project:
The UAE Wind Program is expected to power over 23,000 UAE homes annually and displace 120,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide, equivalent to removing over 26,000 cars from the road each year.
The project spans four locations, including Sir Bani Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, which is home to free-roaming wildlife. A 45 MW capacity wind farm and a 14 MWp solar farm have been developed on the island.
Other wind farm locations include Delma Island (27MW) in Abu Dhabi, Al Sila, Abu Dhabi (27MW), and Al Halah, Fujairah (4.5MW).
The project utilizes innovations in climate technology, bigger turbine sizes, lower hardware prices, and a unique weather phenomenon that generates high winds at night, making wind power economically viable in the UAE.
Wind power complements the UAE’s existing solar power generation, as wind is strongest at night in the region, diversifying the nation’s renewable energy mix.
Masdar’s Contributions and Achievements:
Masdar, led by its founding CEO and COP28 President-Designate, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, has been pioneering clean energy since 2006.
Masdar has been involved in various renewable energy projects globally, including the 100 MW Shams project, the first concentrated solar power plant in the Middle East, and the Cirata Floating Solar Plant in Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest floating solar plant.
The Sharjah Waste to Energy plant, a joint venture between Masdar and BEEAH group, has processed over 100,000 tonnes of waste and offset over 150,000 tonnes of carbon emissions since its inception, contributing to sustainability efforts in the region.
Masdar is committed to achieving at least 100 GW total renewable energy capacity by 2030 and is actively involved in more than 40 countries in renewable energy investments.
Overall, this wind power project represents a significant step towards achieving the UAE’s renewable energy goals and diversifying its energy mix with cleaner sources of power.