Zaki Nusseibeh: UAE is working to create a supportive environment to promote transition to a competitive innovation and knowledge-based economy

Suhail Al Mazrouei: Energy and water security strategies are an indication of strength and maturity of energy and water sectors

H. E. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, Minister of State and Chancellor of the United Arab Emirates University, said that the UAE is committed to transition to the use of clean energies. The UAE Energy Strategy 2050 sets a 50% goal for the use of clean energy, along with a 70% reduction in carbon emissions.  It is making efforts to create a supportive environment through strategic partnerships and investments.

During his opening speech at the 6th International Conference on Renewable Energy: Generation and Applications, organized by the College of Engineering at the UAE University “remotely”, he indicated that the UAE launched its national innovation strategy in 2014 within the National Agenda 2021 that laid out the necessary measures to promote transition to a competitive and diversified innovation &knowledge-based economy.

H. E. added that despite the exceptional circumstances due to the Covid-19 pandemic, which prevented the personal attendance of the conference, the meeting virtually had a positive result by reducing carbon emissions, in line with the values and goals we seek to achieve. The digital platform we use represents one of the technological developments that this epidemic has a role in accelerating its development. He said, "This in itself demonstrates the importance of innovation and scientific experiments in promoting sustainability."

He indicated that the UAE University seeks to be a center for innovation and applied research related to needs of society and economy. The UAEU "University of the Future", attaches special importance to research and innovation in the industry and works with its strategic partners to address the real challenges facing the world. It contributes to development of knowledge and enhance relations between academics, practitioners and entrepreneurs. He said, "The diversity of attendees in the conference, reflects the need for new types of communication. New networks can provide society with an integrated understanding of different initiatives, and allow for exchange of diverse global views and values, which will contribute to making momentum for systemic change necessary to achieve sustainable transition and transformation in global production and energy use. This requires building understanding between cultures and creating a strong social fabric. Such issues have been and still are among the main themes in my intellectual and professional life.

H. E. Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, stressed that the United Arab Emirates is one of the world leaders in diversifying energy sources and developing the clean energy sector that can be achieved by innovating modern methods to enhance the sector’s efficiency, and finding various solutions in addition to traditional energy.  It can support sustainable development, national economies, and UAE next fifty years achievements, leading to the UAE Centennial 2071, through which it aims to strengthen its global leadership.

H. E. pointed out that the UAE is a pioneer in foreseeing the future of sustainable energy and water. The UAE has achieved a qualitative achievement by making the first energy strategy in the country, including production and consumption, and the first water security strategy for the UAE, which are an indication of strength and maturity of the energy and water sectors in the UAE.

Clean energy is an essential pillar of sustainability, so the UAE has launched the first energy strategy, which is the National Energy Strategy 2050. It aims to provide access to safe and sustainable energy to all people at competitive prices. The UAE also seeks through this strategy to improve consumption behavior and raise individual and institutional consumption efficiency by 40% by 2050. It also aims to diversify the future energy sources so that reliance on nuclear energy is 6%, and 12% for clean coal, in addition to 38% for gas, and 44% for renewable energy by 2050. It will raise the use of clean energy in the total energy sources produced in the country to 50%, and achieve savings of AED 700 billion until 2050.

The UAE also launched the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, which aims to ensure sustainability and continuity of access to water during normal and extreme emergency conditions.

H. E. added: "The objectives of the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036 are to separate water desalination from electric power generation, using reverse osmosis (RO) technology, which would reduce costs by 70% and avoid burning large quantities of gas during the winter period in current desalination plants, thus reducing carbon dioxide.

H. E. also added: "The UAE is leading global efforts in sustaining clean energy, water, and preserving environment.  For this purpose, it has adopted the latest innovations that drive the sustainable development process, and ways to confront the effects of climate change and mitigate global warming, which represent a future concern for the whole world due to their direct impact on humanity”. Each country must formulate an energy strategy that is in line with its local requirements and serves its future directions.

The activities of the conference were launched through communication techniques in the period 2-4 of February. The conference, in its sixth cycle, discussed a number of issues of strategic importance to the UAE and various countries of the world. It will host a selection of eminent personalities, in discussion sessions that include seven main themes: renewable energy technologies, applications and materials, hybrid and electric cars, biofuels and bioenergy, sustainable energy policies, cities and buildings, green economy, energy harvesting and storage devices, and smart grids. It will also discuss challenges and opportunities to spread green energy technology, the main role of lithium batteries in the future energy transmission and the role of the smart grid in facilitating the integration of renewable resources.