Masdar executive director tells Gulf Business economic case for renewable energy “stronger than ever”

The economic case for renewable energy is “stronger than ever” and the UAE and other GCC states are particularly well placed to achieve “ambitious” clean-energy targets, Yousif Al Ali, executive director at Masdar Clean Energy, said in an interview with Gulf Business.

Masdar is dedicated to providing a sustainable future for all

As the world continues to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Masdar's priority is the health and well-being of our people and the communities we serve in the UAE and around the world.

Solar Impulse 2 Soars Over Gemasolar, Masdar’s Solar Thermal Plant in Seville

Shortly after taking off from Seville, Spain en route to Cairo, Egypt, Solar Impulse 2 flew directly over the Gemasolar Thermosolar Plant, a highly advanced facility run by Torresol Energy, a joint venture between Masdar and Sener. The 20-megawatt plant is the world’s first utility-scale solar power plant to combine a central tower receiver system and molten salt storage technology enabling electricity generation for 15 hours without solar irradiance electricity, thus guaranteeing a reliable energy supply 24 hours a day.

Dudgeon wind farm secures GBP1.3 billion project financing

London, UK, May 13, 2016: The developers of one of the world’s largest offshore wind farms announced the limited recourse financing for the project today, having reached financial close in six months. The GBP1.3 billion long-term financing will fund the capital requirements of the 402-megawatt (MW) Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm, currently under construction 32 kilometres out to sea from the North Norfolk coast of East England.

Lights On Across Egypt’s Remote Areas as Masdar Delivers Solar Projects

Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, has completed the delivery of 30 megawatts of utility-scale clean energy projects and 7,000 solar home systems in remote and strategic areas across Egypt. Together, the four clean energy projects developed by Masdar’s Special Projects unit will power 25,800 homes and displace 42,700 tonnes of CO2 annually, as well as advance the development objectives of the Egyptian government.

Masdar City to Host Annual Sustainability Festival

Masdar City will host the second annual Festival at Masdar City from 11am to 9pm on January 23-24, marking the close of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW). The event will be an opportunity to enjoy a fun and family focused day out, in one of the world’s most sustainable cities.

CEO Stresses the Commercial Viability of Renewable Energy

Dr. Ahmad Belhoul, Masdar CEO, today delivered the keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the eighth World Future Energy Summit (WFES), a key event as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. During the keynote, Dr. Belhoul stressed the need to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy as a commercially viable technology to meet the world’s rising demand for electricity.

Women in Sustainability Unite at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

Michael Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Tours Masdar City

Michael Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, and a former mayor of New York City, toured Masdar City yesterday to learn how Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon mixed-use development is pioneering a “greenprint” for how cities can accommodate rapid urbanization and dramatically reduce energy, water and waste.

‘Blue Economy Summit’ Highlights Importance of Marine Ecosystems in Achieving Global Sustainability

The ‘Blue Economy Summit’ was held today in Abu Dhabi to address the unique climate and sustainably challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and marine ecosystems. With over 70 percent of the world’s surface covered by oceans, protecting the health of marine environments is fundamental to protecting the world’s interconnected economies and long-term sustainability.

Bid success for Noor Midelt Phase 1 hybrid solar power plant in Morocco

The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) has announced that the consortium of EDF Renewables, Masdar, and Green of Africa has been awarded the tender for the design, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the Noor Midelt Phase 1 multi-technologies solar power plant.

Overcoming the Barriers to Sustainable Building Design

Today, it is rare to meet a person or organisation that does not accept sustainable design as the way forward for building design. All facets of the construction industry support sustainable design and initially all new building projects embrace sustainability as one of their key attributes. Yet more often than not, the finished project has compromised sustainability. In many cases, the sustainability considerations have been discarded outright. Why is this the case?

5 Pacific Countries to Receive Grants from UAE’s $50m Renewable Energy Fund

The United Arab Emirates today signed partnerships with five Pacific island countries to deploy renewable energy projects, financed from the US$50 million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund. The solar and wind projects – in Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tuvalu and Vanuatu – represent one of the largest capital investments in the region’s clean energy sector. With grant financing from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), project completion is expected in late 2014.

UAE and Denmark Cooperate to Advance Renewable Energy and Sustainability Globally

The United Arab Emirates and the Government of Denmark today signed a strategic framework agreement outlining nine areas of collaboration focused on advancing renewable energy and sustainability globally. The agreement was signed by H.E. Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE minister of state and CEO of Masdar, and Rasmus Helveg Petersen, Danish minister of development cooperation. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Frederik, Crown Prince of Denmark.

HRH Crown Prince of Denmark Visits Masdar Projects during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week

HRH Crown Prince of Denmark today visited two of Masdar’s flagship projects including Masdar City, the low-carbon urban development, and Shams 1, the 100-megawatt concentrated solar power plant in Abu Dhabi. The Crown Prince was in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) where Denmark yesterday signed a framework agreement with the UAE to explore and co-develop renewable energy projects.

Masdar Achieves Financial Close of London Array Project

Masdar Energy UK, a wholly owned subsidiary of Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, today announced the completion of a 12 year limited-recourse project financing of up to £266 million for its stake in phase one of London Array. The landmark financing is the first time that a limited-recourse structure has been completed for an unincorporated joint venture within the renewable energy industry.

Indian Ocean Rim Countries Launch Partnership to Accelerate Growth of Renewable Energy Markets

Ministers and senior officials from 25 Indian Ocean Rim Association countries today launched a series of new initiatives to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy throughout the Indian Ocean region.

Siemens strengthens Middle East presence with new headquarters at Masdar City

Siemens, the global powerhouse in electronics and electrical engineering operating in the energy, infrastructure, industry and healthcare sectors, today inaugurated its new Middle East headquarters at Masdar City – Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon, sustainable city – where Siemens is an anchor tenant. The Siemens building has been designed with sustainable materials and energy efficient technologies, making it the first LEED Platinum certified office in the United Arab Emirates’ capital city. The building has become a benchmark for future projects in the Middle East and beyond, due to the sustainability standards and development methodology used in building it.

Sustainability Festival Attracts Thousands to Masdar City

The Festival at Masdar City – a two-day celebration of sustainability for the whole family, attracted thousands of UAE residents to Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon urban development today. The event, which ends tomorrow, forms part of this year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week – a week-long series of events and conferences dedicated to advancing sustainability.

Masdar Announces Winner of its International Blogging Contest Focused on Water and Energy Challenges

Masdar announced the winner of its international blogging contest. Masdar initiated the competition to drive international discussion about the interconnected water and energy challenges facing communities around the world. The contest received more than 70 entries and engaged thousands of readers as it sparked worldwide discussion of sustainability issues in advance of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), the largest gathering on sustainability in the history of the Middle East.