UAE has taken major strides towards diversification of energy mix: Bin Fahad

The UAE has taken significant strides towards its strategic objective of diversification of energy sources, Dr. Rashid Ahmed bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, has said.

He said paramount importance and attention the UAE pays to energy issues, be diversification of sources, security, efficiency or rationalisation of energy, highlights the national policies aimed at sustainable development which the UAE, under the leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, places at top of its priorities. 

In a statement on the eve of Dubai Global Energy Forum 2013, the minister said :''Diversifying sources of energy by developing new clean, renewable energy sources is a remarkable success to the UAE, which last month inaugurated the UAE's first  solar power plant and the world’s largest concentrated solar power plant (Shams 1), which cost $600 million to build and will provide electricity to 20,000 homes. The UAE is also bracing for launching the first phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Power Park as part of Dubai's integrated energy strategy.

According to him, the UAE subsequently will be able to meet over 25% of its demand for power from non-conventional energy sources by the end of the current decade.

He noted that increasing the share of clean renewables in the UAE energy mix is part of the national integrated energy vision aimed at sustaining energy resources, promoting the UAE position in regional and international energy industry and increasing its contribution to finding creative solutions to pressing environmental issues in connection to production and use of energy like air pollution and climate change.

The second session of the Dubai Global Energy Forum kickstarts on Monday, under the theme ‘Clean Energy for Sustainable Development.’

The high profile energy forum attracts senior government officials, and key industry representatives, researchers and experts.

The Forum also serves as a place for the interchange of ideas amongst key clean energy stakeholders, and facilitates discussion of the main environmental and sustainability issues that affect the region and the wider world.

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