The UK and the UAE: Partners in Energy

All eyes are on the #UAE this year as it prepares to host #COP28 in November. The nation’s ambitions were set out in Glasgow during COP 26 when the UAE pledged to reach net zero by 2050.

The UAE has led from the front in a region traditionally powered by hydrocarbons, holding the record for the largest increase in renewable capacity globally over the past decade.

The UK stands with the UAE. On Friday, our governments signed the Clean Energy Memorandum of Understanding during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, to facilitate knowledge sharing and expertise in energy. The MoU will strengthen bilateral cooperation on energy and climate, and includes an agreement to cooperate on low carbon hydrogen.

Today, around 14% of the UAE energy is powered by renewables, and the country aims to increase this to 30% by 2030.

The UK and the UAE share a long history of collaboration in sectors from infrastructure and education to healthcare and financial services. More recently, this has included working together in renewable energy.

Over a decade ago, Masdar’s investment into the London Array wind farm off the coast of Essex made it the largest in the world. Today, the London Array powers over half a million homes, displacing 925,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.

The World Future Energy Summit #WFES in Abu Dhabi opens today to kick off the year of COP28.

Twelve UK companies will be exhibiting at WFES across a range of renewable energy disciplines, from large multinationals to up-and-coming SMEs, demonstrating the depth and breadth of the UK offer.

奥雅纳 ’s wide range of strategic projects in the region include energy strategies for urban masterplans, decarbonisation roadmaps for aviation infrastructure and net-zero energy buildings.?The firm also providing a broad range of energy services, from nationally strategic advice to governments through to design and delivery of hydrogen production and renewable energy projects.

Green Hydrogen

Green hydrogen is a game-changer in a region with abundant natural resources to support electricity generation. UK companies with hydrogen-ready technology are exporting expertise in fuel cell technology, methane?reforming, electrolysers, and project life cycle?capability.

HYCAP is a private equity fund investing in the hydrogen economy for a sustainable future. The fund's mission is to lead the UK energy transition by investing in the emerging green hydrogen economy.

Here in the UAE, UK-based Chinook Sciences has partnered with BEEAH Energy to begin the development of the Middle East’s?first waste-to-hydrogen plant. The facility’s goal will be to produce high-quality activated carbon and affordable, ecologically friendly hydrogen. Environmentally friendly hydrogen production will be substantially less expensive than fossil fuel production. In addition, the factory will be equipped with a hydrogen filling station that can deliver hydrogen fuel to a fleet of trucks and buses.

Waste to energy is also one of 阿特金斯 ’ specialisms. The company has been at the forefront of consultancy services for the development and acquisition of Waste to Energy Projects in the Middle East and internationally.

Solar & space-based solar

The UAE is already a global leader in solar. The Dubai desert is home to vast solar farms. In global city centres, 40% of commercial buildings have roofs that cannot use conventional solar panels due to weight or fixing issues. Innovation from the UK’s SOLIVUS is turning these vast unused commercial roof spaces into the solar farms of the future, with lightweight solar tech solution that is 10x lighter than conventional panels.

Onshore and offshore solar power is a growing renewable energy subsector, but the Satellite Applications Catapult is looking beyond Earth to develop space-based solar power, a new, fully sustainable baseload energy source from space. The company aims to embed the power of satellite data, geospatial intelligence and ubiquitous connectivity across the full range of sustainable development activities, both in the UK and internationally.

Small Nuclear Reactors

Rolls-Royce SMR is the Small Modular Reactor (SMR) business of the British company. It has developed net zero clean energy which can be used in different ways including industrial electricity production and synthetic fuel manufacturing. SMRs are complementary products to nuclear power plants, such as the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.

MoltexFLEX is a UK-based company developing the FLEX nuclear reactor, a unique small modular design that can deliver clean energy for numerous applications and to flexibly complement renewables

Education

The UK is a global leader in education and R&D, and UK universities in the region are contributing to the global fight against climate change.

From sensing and robotics, to the decarbonisation of the cement industry here in the UAE, to the revolutionary recycled K-Briq, 英国赫瑞瓦特大学 is working with partners to reduce emissions and build a sustainable future.

By focusing on finding solutions to major global challenges through significant international collaborations and connections with industry, Heriot-Watt University aims to build a new future through decarbonisation, energy transition and radical innovation.

Its Edinburgh campus is the location for the UK’s new National Robotarium and the centre of the UK’s major industrial decarbonisation research programme. Energy Transition research takes place at the Heriot-Watt University, Dubai Campus as well, at its Centre of Excellence in Smart Consctruction.

The 英国伯明翰大学 is a global research-led institution with leading academics in climate, energy and sustainability research, education and knowledge exchange. The Birmingham Energy Institute is creating technologies and guiding policies which will shape the energy solutions of tomorrow. The Institute is creating the smartest energy campuses globally and supporting UAE’s net zero ambitions with key partnerships such as the RTA R&D Centre at their campus in Dubai which is an important milestone in RTA’s “Innovation Roadmap”.

Fusion Energy

The UK’s Tokamak Energy is a rapidly growing commercial fusion energy company aiming to demonstrate grid-ready, clean, safe and limitless power in the early 2030s. The company recently launched its first STEM outreach programme to help inspire the next generation of fusion energy scientists and engineers, which will link one of Britain’s most exciting and fast growing employers directly with schools.

Aviation

The global aviation industry is responsible for around 2% of CO2 emissions each year. UK company SATAVIA aims to address this issue through innovation. This year alone, the company has prevented over 6,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in weekly flight trials with Etihad Airways, including a recent dedicated COP27 transatlantic flight. Once scaled across commercial aviation, there is potential to prevent over 70 million tonnes of CO2e annually by 2030.

Partners in the future of energy

By partnering with government and institutions in the UAE and the wider Middle East, these companies and many others from the UK are part of a growing industry dedicated to powering a future which is brighter, cleaner and greener.