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• Financing secured for 445MWac Bilasuvar and 315MWac Neftchala solar projects

• Agreements with EBRD, ADB and AIIB signed at COP29 in Baku. Total project costs expected to be more than USD 600 million

• Construction on solar parks due to complete by the first quarter of 2027

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, and SOCAR Green, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SOCAR dedicated to sustainable projects, have reached financial close for the 445MW Bilasuvar and 315MW Neftchala solar projects in Azerbaijan.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Asian infrastructure and Investment Bank (AIIB) are financing the two solar projects, with the total cost expected to be more than USD 600 million.

The agreements were signed on the sidelines of COP29 in Baku. They were witnesses by H.E. Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy for the Republic of Azerbaijan, Abdulaziz AlObaidli, COO of Masdar, Afgan Isayev, Vice President of SOCAR, and Harry Boyd-Carpenter, Managing Director, Climate Strategy and Delivery at EBRD.

The agreements were signed by Abdulla Zayed, Director of Business & Project Development at Masdar, Elmir Musayev, General Director of SOCAR Green, Aida Sitdikova, Director Energy Eurasia, Middle East and Africa at EBRD, James Lok, Lead Investment Officer, Project and Corporate Finance Clients Department, Global at AIIB, and Mayank Choudhary, Director, Private Sector Operations Department at ADB.

Masdar and SOCAR Green broke ground on the Bilasuvar and Neftchala solar parks during a ceremony at Baku Energy Week in June 2024. Construction on the projects is due to be completed by the first quarter of 2027.

H.E. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar, and COP28 President, said:

H.E. Parviz Shahbazov, Minister of Energy for the Republic of Azerbaijan, said:

Masdar Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi said:

Rovshan Najaf, President of SOCAR, said:

Masdar is dedicated to supporting Azerbaijan’s energy transition. It has signed agreements to develop onshore wind and solar projects and integrated offshore wind and green hydrogen projects with a total combined capacity of 10GW. Its first project in Azerbaijan, the 230MW Garadagh solar plant, was inaugurated in October last year.

Since its establishment in 2006, Masdar has been a key enabler of the UAE’s vision as a global leader in sustainability and climate action. The company has developed and partnered in projects in over 40 countries, with a mandate to increase its renewable energy portfolio capacity to 100GW by 2030 and to become a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year.

Established in 2024, SOCAR Green is a wholly-owned subsidiary of SOCAR, a global energy company headquartered in Azerbaijan. Positioned at the forefront of the nation's transition to renewable energy, SOCAR Green drives the implementation of clean energy initiatives, including large-scale solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects. Through strategic partnerships with international leaders in renewable energy, SOCAR Green supports Azerbaijan’s commitment to achieving its national climate targets and contributing to global sustainability goals.

• 1.5 gigawatt (GW) solar power plant in Al Ajban province received financing from six top-tier banks and financial institutions

• 3 million solar panels using advanced bifacial technology will be installed to generate enough power for 160,000 UAE households

• CO2 emissions will be reduced by over 2.4 million tons annually

• Project company composed of EDF Renewables and KOWEPO (20% stake each) as lead members, and Masdar as local shareholder (60% stake)

• EWEC will procure 100% of the plant output

The project company, led by EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power (KOWEPO), alongside their partner Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, announced today the successful financial closing of the 1.5 gigawatt (GW) AC Al Ajban Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Independent Power Producer (IPP) project in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

Following a successful bid submission, the project company owned by EDF Renewables and KOWEPO (20% stake each) as lead members, and Masdar as local shareholder (60% stake) signed a 30-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), and will design, finance, build and operate the plant.

Financing for the project has been secured from six top-tier banks and financial institutions: BNP Paribas, Credit Agricole CIB, Standard Chartered Bank, HSBC Middle East, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC) and Export-Import Bank of Korea (KEXIM).

Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, said:

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar said:

Commenting on the announcement, Beatrice Buffon, EDF Group Vice-President, International Division, Chairwoman & Chief Executive Officer of EDF Renewables, said:

Commenting on the announcement, Hyungduck Park, Chief Executive Officer of KOWEPO, said:

The state-of-the-art project, located approximately 70 kilometres North-East of Abu Dhabi city, will have a capacity of 1.5GW. Once fully commissioned in Q3 2026, the Al Ajban Solar PV IPP will be one of the world’s largest single-site solar power plants, deploying approximately 3 million solar panels mounted on single-axis trackers to generate enough electricity for approximately 160,000 homes across the UAE. Upon full commercial operation, the plant is expected to reduce Abu Dhabi’s CO2 emissions by more than 2.4 million tons per year.

The Al Ajban Solar PV power plant is part of the UAE Net-Zero by 2050 strategic initiative and is the third utility–scale solar park in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, making the Emirate a pioneer in renewable energy deployment.

Key figures of the project:

• Households powered: 160,000

• Over 2,400,000 tons of CO2 reduction / year

• Technology:

  • 3,000,000 bifacial PVs

  • Single-axis trackers

• Emerge Limited, a joint venture between Masdar and the EDF Group, breaks ground on SNOC's 60MWp solar PV plant in Sharjah

• Plant is expected to offset 66,000 CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to taking over 14,600 cars off the road each year

• Emerge will operate and maintain turnkey solutions across the project for 25 years

The Emirate of Sharjah oil and gas industry leader, Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC), and Emerge Limited, a joint venture between Masdar and the EDF Group, celebrated a significant milestone today with the groundbreaking ceremony for the largest solar installation in Sharjah to date.

The 60MWp ground-mounted solar PV plant, located at SNOC's Sajaa Gas Complex, will generate enough clean energy to offset 66,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually, equivalent to removing more than 14,600 cars from the road each year.

The project supports SNOC's commitment to decarbonization and its goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2032. It will significantly decrease SNOC's dependence on traditional fossil fuels for its operations and provide a cost-effective source of clean energy. The project aligns with the United Arab Emirates' ambitious Net-Zero 2050 strategy. By promoting renewable energy sources, this initiative contributes to the UAE's transition towards a more sustainable, environmentally conscious future for Sharjah and the wider region.

SNOC Chief Executive Officer, Hatem Al Mosa, said

Michel Abi Saab, Emerge General Manager, said:

Emerge will handle the entire project lifecycle under a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) agreement. This includes financing, design, procurement, construction, operation, and maintenance of the solar modules for a period of 25 years.

• Solar car park will generate 30 percent of total annual energy demand at Yas Marina Circuit

• Yas Bay Waterfront Project will offset 425 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year as Miral drives sustainability efforts

• Energizations advance clean energy deployment in UAE entertainment sector

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; May 23, 2024: Emerge, a joint venture between the UAE’s Masdar and France’s EDF Group, has announced the successful energization of two high-profile solar photovoltaic (PV) projects on Yas Island at Yas Marina Circuit and Yas Bay Waterfront, Abu Dhabi’s vibrant day-to-night dining, entertainment and leisure destination.

The 1 megawatt peak (MWp) solar car park at Ethara’s Yas Marina Circuit, home to the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, will generate approximately 30 percent of Yas Marina Circuit’s total annual energy demand, equivalent to powering nearly 200 Abu Dhabi households and offsetting 900 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

Under its agreement with the venue’s operator, Ethara, Emerge has installed more than 1,800 solar modules across the car park of the track, which holds a capacity of 60,000 spectators, delivering a comprehensive turnkey solution for the project, including finance, design, procurement, construction, operations, and maintenance for 25 years.

The 520kWp Yas Bay Waterfront development for Miral involved the installation of over 900 solar modules, equivalent to powering around 100 Abu Dhabi households and offsetting 425 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year. The solution included finance, design, procurement and construction and Emerge will operate and maintain the solar modules.

Jonathan Brown, Chief Portfolio Officer at Miral, said:

Hesham Al Jneibi, Yas Marina Circuit and Etihad Park General Manager, said:

Michel Abi Saab, General Manager, Emerge, said:

Yas Bay Waterfront is the third collaboration between Miral, the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, and Emerge. In March 2023, Miral inaugurated Abu Dhabi's largest solar rooftop project at Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, with an impressive 7-megawatt peak (MWp) capacity. The project incorporates approximately 16,000 solar modules across the theme park's roof area of 36,000 square meters and produces nearly 40 percent of its annual energy demand.

Emerge has also deployed on-site solar energy systems at the SeaWorld Abu Dhabi theme park, which has a capacity of 8.4 megawatts (MWp) and is scheduled to be commissioned during the second quarter of 2024.

Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, was formed in 2021 to develop distributed solar, energy storage and hybrid solutions for commercial and industrial. As an energy services company, Emerge offers clients full turnkey solutions through solar power agreements and energy performance contracting at no upfront cost to the client.

– ENDS –

About Miral

Miral is the leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences in Abu Dhabi, that contributes to the growth of the leisure and entertainment industry and Abu Dhabi’s economic diversification. It conceives, creates, operates, and manages immersive destinations and experiences that attract visitors from across the world to create unforgettable memories, accelerating the realization of the Emirate’s tourism vision and growth.

Responsible for the development of Yas Island and overseeing Saadiyat Island's Destination Management Strategy, Miral’s portfolio of world-class assets incorporates entertainment, leisure, culture, sport, dining, retail, and hospitality experiences, aiming to deliver millions of memorable moments for residents and international guests alike. These include SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World™ Abu Dhabi, CLYMB™ Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina, and Yas Bay Waterfront, home to the UAE’s largest indoor multi-purpose venue Etihad Arena, amongst others. Miral also has several projects being developed on Yas Island and across the emirate, including teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi, Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, and a Harry Potter themed land within Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

Miral encompasses three subsidiaries: Miral Destinations, which promotes unique destinations; Miral Experiences, which operates a diverse portfolio of world-class, award-winning immersive experiences; and Yas Asset Management, which operates and manages a portfolio of vibrant destinations including F&B, retail, marinas and hospitality properties across Yas Island.

For more information, visit www.miral.ae.

About Ethara

Ethara is shaping the future of events and venues regionally and internationally. Headquartered on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island, and with offices in Dubai and Riyadh, the company employs over 300 professionals who offer an unrivalled wealth of expertise, experience, knowledge, and skills in the entertainment industry. Ethara, meaning ‘thrill’ in Arabic, operates an impressive portfolio of assets, including Yas Marina Circuit, Etihad Park, Etihad Arena, and the Yas Conference Centre. The company works with leading events companies, IP owners, and entertainment partners locally and internationally to deliver world-class, first-to-market events and experiences.

For further information, visit: www.ethara.com

About Emerge

Emerge is a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group established to develop solar generation, energy storage and hybrid solutions in the Middle East. We support our commercial and industrial (C&I) partners in achieving their sustainability goals. A home-grown company, Emerge was founded in 2021 and has since established a robust performance record. Emerge provides clients with comprehensive renewable energy solutions via solar power agreements. Clients do not have to make any initial financial commitments. This empowers our customers to concentrate on their core operations while reducing operational and energy expenditures.

Website: https://emerge-energy.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emerge-energy-company
Email: info@emerge-energy.com

About Masdar

Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) is the UAE’s clean energy champion and one of the world’s fastest growing renewable energy companies, advancing the development and deployment of renewable energy and green hydrogen technologies to address global sustainability challenges. Established in 2006, Masdar has developed and partnered in projects in over 40 countries, helping them to achieve their clean energy objectives and advance sustainable development. Masdar is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), Mubadala Investment Company (Mubadala), and Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (TAQA), and under this ownership the company is targeting a renewable energy portfolio capacity of at least 100 gigawatts (GW) by 2030.

Contacts:

For media inquiries, please contact: press@masdar.ae
For more information please visit: http://www.masdar.ae and connect: facebook.com/masdar.ae and twitter.com/masdar

About EDF Group

The EDF Group is a key player in the energy transition, as an integrated energy operator engaged in all aspects of the energy business: power generation, distribution, trading, energy sales and energy services. The Group is a world leader in low-carbon energy, with a low carbon output of 434TWh, a diverse generation mix based mainly on nuclear and renewable energy (including hydropower). It is also investing in new technologies to support the energy transition. EDF’s raison d’être is to build a net zero energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive well-being and economic development. The Group supplies energy and services to approximately 40.9 million customers (1) and generated consolidated sales of €139.7 billion in 2023.

Customers are counted per delivery site. A customer may have two delivery points.

For media enquiries, please contact: Alexandra.taleva@edf.com; +971 54 522 73 73
For more information please visit: https://www.uae.edf.com
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• Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, signs agreement to develop rooftop solar plant for Dubai Maritime City

• 980kWp plant will offset 780 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year

• Emerge will operate and maintain all turnkey solutions across the project for 25 years

• Project is part of wider clean energy drive by DP World to contribute to the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 initiative

Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, has signed an agreement to install a 980kWp rooftop solar plant for Dubai Maritime City that will offset 780 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

The project is part of a wider energy transition led by DP World, the parent company of Dubai Maritime City, to facilitate the widespread adoption of renewable energy and battery energy storage systems (BESS) within DP World’s global supply chain.

Situated on the roof of the staff accommodation building and consisting of more than 1,700 solar modules, the plant will be delivered by Emerge as a turnkey solution, including finance, design, procurement, construction, operations, and maintenance of the solar modules for 25 years.

Michel Abi Saab, Emerge General Manager, said:

Ahmed Al Hammadi, Chief Operating Officer of Dubai Maritime City, DP World, said:

Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, was formed in 2021 to develop distributed solar, energy storage, and hybrid solutions for commercial and industrial applications. As an energy services company, Emerge offers clients full turnkey solutions through solar power agreements at no up-front cost to the client. The project contributes to the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 initiative, which aims to see renewable energy make up 44 per cent of the country’s clean energy mix by 2050. Rooftop solar PV could provide approximately 6 per cent of the UAE’s total power generation by 2030, according to a projection by the International Renewable Energy Agency in its REmap 2030 report on renewable energy prospects for the UAE.

About Emerge

Emerge is a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group established to develop solar generation, energy storage and hybrid solutions in the Middle East. We support our commercial and industrial (C&I) partners in achieving their sustainability goals. A home-grown company, Emerge was founded in 2021 and has since established a robust performance record. Emerge provides clients with comprehensive renewable energy solutions via solar power agreements. Clients do not have to make any initial financial commitments. This empowers our customers to concentrate on their core operations while reducing operational and energy expenditures.

• Masdar signs three investment agreements for two solar projects and one onshore wind project with combined capacity of 1GW, supporting Azerbaijan’s 2030 clean energy ambitions

• Garadagh inauguration attended by HE Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and HE Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, COP28 President-Designate, and Chairman of Masdar

• HE Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber calls on all nations to follow Azerbaijan in setting clear energy transition plans to deliver a COP of action, a COP of solidarity, a COP for all

• Garadagh is Masdar’s first renewable energy project in Azerbaijan as the company expands its footprint across Caucasus and Central Asia

Baku; October 26, 2023: Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar, the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, has signed agreements for solar and onshore wind projects with a total capacity of 1 gigawatt (GW) in Azerbaijan, following the inauguration of the region’s largest operational solar plant, the 230MW Garadagh Solar Park. 

The strategic agreements cover the progression of the first phase of a 10GW pipeline of renewable energy projects in Azerbaijan signed in June 2022. This follows the successful development of Garadagh, Azerbaijan’s first foreign investment-based independent solar power project, and the largest solar plant in the region. 

The inauguration of Garadagh was overseen by HE Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan and HE Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, COP28 President-Designate, and Chairman of Masdar. 

The 1GW clean energy agreements were signed by Masdar Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Azerbaijan Minister of Energy, HE Parviz Shahbazov and Azerbaijan Minister of the Economy, HE Mikayil Jabbarov.

Also in attendance at the inauguration were HE Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy; HE Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, UAE Minister of Investment and Deputy Chairman of Masdar; HE Ahmed Ali Al Sayegh, Minister of State; HE Mohammed Murad Al Blooshi, UAE Ambassador to Azerbaijan, and HE Mohammed Saif Al Suwaidi, Director General of Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, and HE Elchin Bagirov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to the UAE attended.

HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, COP28 President-Designate and Chairman of Masdar, said:

Speaking at the inauguration event, Dr Sultan Al Jaber also commended His Excellency President Ilham Aliyev and the nation of Azerbaijan for its commitment to a defined, strategic plan of action to develop new industries, new jobs and green economic growth. 

In his speech HE Dr Sultan said:

• With just 34 days to COP28, Garadagh illustrates the practical action needed to turn the goals of the Paris Agreement into tangible reality.

• Paris unified the world around a common goal, but since then, we have not seen enough action to close a massive emissions gap.

• While investment in renewable energy continues to grow, with a record 500GW added globally this year, the world must triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 to keep 1.5 within reach.

It is critical to bring everybody to the table to be part of the solution. This is the spirit of inclusivity needed at COP28, bringing the world together to focus on solutions and results.

HE Parviz Shahbazov, Azerbaijan Minister of Energy, commented:

The Garadagh plant which represents Masdar’s first project in the country, will generate half a billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, enough to power more than 110,000 homes, reducing carbon emissions by over 200,000 tonnes a year. The project is co-financed by Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar said:

As the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse and one of the leading clean energy companies in the world, Masdar is accelerating the development and deployment of renewable energy and green hydrogen technologies to address global sustainability challenges.

Established in 2006, Masdar is active in more than 40 countries with a total electricity generation capacity of more than 20GW. It has invested, or committed to invest, in worldwide projects with a combined value of more than US$30 billion with ambitious growth plans to reach 100GW and 1 million tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030. 

Through Masdar, the UAE has successfully launched the first of three solar projects under the US$50 million Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund

It is 1974 and diesel-powered electricity has finally arrived on Union Island, a picturesque remote island about an hour’s flight on a small twin-engine plane from Saint Vincent, the capital city of St Vincent and the Grenadines in the Caribbean. 

For Edwin Snagg, then just a boy who had moved to Union Island with his family in 1969 from neighbouring Trinidad & Tobago when his grandfather retired, it meant he no longer had the dreaded job of cleaning the two kerosene lamps his family used to light their home.
“My biggest problem was moving to a new country that did not have electricity,” he said. “And I hated it with a passion when my grandfather said I had to clean the kerosene lampshades, which were covered in black soot.”

A welcome addition to the island 45 years ago, the diesel-powered Union Island Power Station also had its drawbacks. The diesel engines were constantly noisy, while the air pollution they created hung heavily over the small valley surrounding the plant near the island’s main town of Clifton, leaving residents to deal with black soot covering everything from clothes to curtains and the walls inside their homes, as well as causing allergies.

Now the Director of Grenadines Affairs and a community leader on Union Island, Mr Snagg was speaking at the recent inauguration of the island’s first large-scale solar PV battery plant.  The plant was developed by the UAE, as part of a partnership between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC), Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the leading national entity for international development aid, and Masdar, the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, and supplies the island with enough clean energy to run entirely on renewables throughout the day. 

“This project has so many implications. Have you noticed the schoolchildren here this afternoon? I personally invited these students here because this solar system is about the future; this is a new generation,” he said to applause.

The Union Island 600kW Solar PV Battery Hybrid Power Plant was developed by Masdar under the US$50 million UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (CREF), the largest renewable energy initiative of its kind in the Caribbean region. 

“Both Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the UAE share a mutual understanding and vision of the role renewable energy plays in accelerating economic growth and bringing tangible benefits to local communities,” HE Bader Almatrooshi, UAE Ambassador to Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, and Representative to the Association of Caribbean States, told guests at the Union Island inauguration.

“This Masdar-led project contributes significantly to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ ambitious goal to generate 60 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2020 and helps to bring its sustainable energy future within reach,” Ambassador Almatrooshi added. 

“While this landmark solar energy project has ushered in new and clean energy supplies to meet Union Island’s growing energy needs sustainably, it has also created jobs, reduced energy costs and reliance on expensive diesel fuels, as well as boosting the island’s climate resilience and stimulating the economy.”

The 637 kilowatt-hour (kWh) lithium-ion battery stores the excess electricity produced by the plant, extending its generating capacity to supply 100 per cent of Union Island’s daytime power requirements. The hybrid plant, which provides energy to 1,242 customers, was developed in partnership with St Vincent Electricity Services Limited (VINLEC). Thanks to Masdar’s team of technical experts, the plant is designed to withstand up to 160mph winds and extreme weather conditions. The plant also displaces an estimated 320,000 litres of diesel fuel per year, saving the island nearly US$500,000 and offsetting 825 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

“This is a step in the right direction,” said Felix McKie, who moved to Union Island in 1971 and raised his family in his home just 100 metres from the plant. “I hope that eventually they will be able to implement full solar power and move out of diesel because we have suffered tremendously with the soot and the noise. 

“But it is fantastic knowing that Union Island is leading the way in renewable energy for remote islands – and we are looking forward to the peace and quiet during the day.”
Also speaking at the inauguration was Dr. The Hon. Ralph E Gonsalves, the Prime Minister and Minister of Energy of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, who said: “Generating electricity here costs 40 per cent or so more than on the main island, which means that the rest of the country has to subsidise Union Island.

“But this initiative with the United Arab Emirates to develop the solar PV system is making Union Island almost completely green, it translates to tremendous savings of US$500,000 in imported diesel. The UAE is an important partner for us in renewables and without this kind of grant funding, it is very difficult to build the infrastructure to make it economical.”

For Adelaide Allen, another Union Island resident attending the inauguration, the launch of the solar energy plant was a day to celebrate. The 85 year old, who still lives in the house she was born in, has experienced all three types of “energy” on Union Island, from kerosene lamps to diesel-powered electricity and now renewable energy.

“The noise that the power plant made! Every day I would complain to myself and ask when will this stop? I would have to close all my windows and doors because the smell and the noise was so bad,” she said. “But I hope things will improve. So now that it’s stopped, I brought my Saint Vincents’ flag with me today to celebrate. I feel great now thanks to your company [Masdar].”

Launched at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2017, the aim of UAE-CREF is to deploy renewable energy projects in 16 Caribbean countries in three cycles to help reduce reliance on fossil-fuel imports, increase energy access, and enhance climate change resilience as part of the UAE’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The first three projects in cycle one were inaugurated in March 2019. As well as Union Island, they included a 925kW solar PV carport in the Bahamas and a 350kW solar PV carport and 500kW solar PV plant in Barbados, where there is also a heavy reliance on oil and diesel imports to fuel power plants.

All three projects deliver a combined total of 2.35MW of solar and 637kWh of battery storage capacity, and displace more than 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Together, they also achieve diesel savings of more than 895,000 litres per year, or about US$1.1 million.

In January 2018, UAE-CREF announced that the second funding cycle will include Antigua & Barbuda, Dominica, Saint Lucia, Belize, Haiti, Dominican Republic, St. Kitts & Nevis, Guyana, and Grenada, while the cycle three countries, announced in January 2019, will include Jamaica, Cuba, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Solar Impulse 2 (Si2), the solar-powered plane attempting to become the first aircraft in the world to circumnavigate the Earth without using a drop of fossil fuel, will complete its epic journey in the early hours of Tuesday morning, returning to the city where its adventure began in March last year.

The iconic aircraft’s arrival in the UAE capital will mark the triumphant conclusion of a voyage that has taken in sixteen stops around the world, including a number of countries where the investment of Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company Masdar is already pushing the boundaries of clean technology, extending access to sustainable energy and reducing carbon emissions. Masdar is the official host partner of Solar Impulse 2.

Solar Impulse Initiator and Chairman Bertrand Piccard is piloting Si2 on the last leg of its round-the-world trip from Cairo, bringing full circle an adventure that began when André Borschberg, CEO and Co-Founder, departed Abu Dhabi in March 2015. Both men have taken the controls of the aircraft during its pioneering flight.

Anticipation is building across the UAE, with a welcoming committee of UAE and international dignitaries expected to receive Solar Impulse 2 at around 04:00 Tuesday morning, at Al Bateen Executive Airport.

“To have flown more than 40,000 kilometres powered only by the sun shows that solar energy has truly arrived as a viable technology, and has significant potential for wider development,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Masdar. “Solar Impulse 2’s arrival in Abu Dhabi will be an emotional moment for the Solar Impulse team and a proud occasion for the people of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. Our shared commitment to the realisation of a more sustainable future will inspire continued innovation in clean technology and renewable energy long after the Si2’s final flight.”

“Solar Impulse will stand forever as a tribute to human ingenuity and our capacity to work together to solve common challenges,” Al Ramahi said.

Over its entire mission, Solar Impulse 2 has completed more than 500 flight hours, cruising at altitudes of up to 9,000 metres and at an average speed of between 45km/h and 90km/h.

A total of 19 world records have been set, or are still pending with the World Air Sports Federation (FAI). These include André Borschberg’s feat of flying for five consecutive days and nights over the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Hawaii, the longest flight duration achieved by any type of aircraft flying solo, and Betrand Piccard’s historic crossing of the Atlantic Ocean, the first by a solar-powered airplane.

Solar Impulse Initiator, Chairman and Swiss pilot Bertrand Piccard said: “Solar Impulse has demonstrated that modern clean technologies can achieve things that were considered impossible a few years ago. Our mission now is to continue to motivate people, corporations and governments to use these same solutions on the ground wherever they make sense – for mobility, construction, lighting, heating, cooling and other uses – to improve the quality of life on Earth.”

Solar Impulse CEO, Co-Founder and fellow pilot André Borschberg said: “By flying around the world thanks to renewable energy and clean technologies, we have demonstrated that we can now make our world more energy efficient. It’s not a question of whether it’s possible; it’s only a question of implementation. Solar Impulse is like a flying smart grid: producing, storing and distributing energy in an efficient way. If we can make it work on an airplane, we can make it work in our cities and communities.”

Hasan Al Redaini, the UAE representative escorting Solar Impulse 2 on its round-the-world trip, added: “Abu Dhabi has been a natural partner of the Solar Impulse project, which has captured the imagination of millions people and shed new light on renewable energy as a viable technology.”

Si 2 began its epic journey from Abu Dhabi in March 2015, with sixteen stopovers along the way in Oman, India, Myanmar, China, Japan, the United States, Spain and Egypt.

The Masdar Solar Hub will serve as a platform to test solar energy systems and deliver new innovative technologies to market

Abu Dhabi, UAE, April 22, 2015 – Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s pioneering renewable energy company, and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, today announced plans to launch the Masdar Solar Hub to expedite the development of solar technologies. The new hub aims to support Abu Dhabi’s efforts to achieve its ambitions for solar energy development and deployment through research and demonstration of cutting-edge solar photovoltaic, solar thermal and thermal energy storage technologies.

“Collaborations are essential for a thriving innovation ecosystem, as they facilitate dialogue between industry leaders and government, and support the development of novel, game-changing technologies,” said Dr Ahmad Belhoul, CEO of Masdar. “The Masdar Solar Hub is expected to become a successful catalyst for solar energy development in Abu Dhabi and across the region while training human resources for Abu Dhabi’s energy sector.”

The aim of the Masdar Solar Hub, the first independent solar testing and R&D facility in the UAE, is to build a high-performance testing infrastructure in the region, providing the foundation for new product development, co-operation with local and international companies and the creation of new solar companies in Abu Dhabi.

The hub will provide unbiased research, development, testing, evaluation and certification of solar technologies and systems, as well as consulting and information services, leading to the practical and widespread implementation of solar energy solutions across Abu Dhabi.

“The Masdar Solar Hub will enable researchers to engage in significant development and testing to create efficient solar technologies that can operate at maximum capacity in the region’s unfavourable climactic conditions,” said Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute.

“Directly in line with the UAE National Innovation Strategy, this initiative reinforces Masdar Institute’s capacity to advance research in support of Abu Dhabi’s mandate to provide 7 per cent of its power generation capacity with renewable energy technologies by 2020 and contribute to a more sustainable future,” he added.

Solar energy has received increased interest globally following strengthened focus amongst international entities and recent examples of its growing cost-competitiveness. The price of electricity from solar power has declined by 75 per cent over the past seven years and this year global solar photovoltaic capacity alone is expected to grow by 25 per cent.

Despite solar power’s increasing cost competitiveness and efficiency, Masdar Institute’s Research Centre for Renewable Energy Mapping and Assessment has shown from satellite data alone that Abu Dhabi receives significantly less direct sunlight than expected and this is due to high levels of atmospheric dust and humidity. The Masdar Solar Hub will allow Masdar Institute, Masdar and leading organisations in solar power to advance demonstration-scale solar technology assessment in the region’s hot, dust-filled environment.