Post the otherwise frightening COVID-19 Pandemic uncertain time frame, over the forthcoming five years period, the Abu Dhabi’s Renewable Energy firm Masdar is in pursuit for doubling up its existing capacity of 10.7 Gigawatts with the better aid from governments mapping up a justifiable recovery path.
The firm announced on Monday that it accepted the stakes in two foremost wind farm projects in Poland. The 37.4-megawatt Mlawa wind farm in Mazowieckie and the 14MW Grajewo project in Podlaskie will be established via a 50:50 joint venture with Taaleri SolarWind II Fund.
The procurements come after other fresh contracts to contribute in projects in Uzbekistan and the US.
As per the executive director for clean energy, Yousif Al Ali: “the firm that has a wind, solar as well as waste-to-energy assets globally, also is in pursuit to setting up of a hydrogen fuel projects in the UAE during the period.”
He was speaking from the side-lines of the annual Abu-Dhabi Sustainability Week held online this year due to the Pandemic outcome.
From the latest perspective of the Middle East players, the former Soviet nation has attained as being the global hotspot for the renewable energy asset. During the financial year ending close the preceding month, Masdar has clinched on a 100MW Solar Photovoltaic Plant in the realms of Uzbekistan – the nation’s first independent power producer.
This particular project was funded by the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Masdar has also beforehand worked on a 500MW utility-scale wind venture in the nation.
Mr Al Ali pointed out that Uzbekistan was intense on a sustainable recovery and stated that Masdar plans to bid for trio projects in the nation with a joint capacity of 1 gigawatt.
Masdar compelled ahead with renewable projects within the pandemic, most remarkably via its participation in the Al Dhafra project, done a commendable job. The 2-gigawatt project is being known as to be one of the global largest solar PV power plants.
The International Renewable Energy Agency, which is based in Abu Dhabi, pursued on with the respective governments to thrust via the green stimulus programmes for a “far-sighted”, extensive-permanent recovery.
The agency also announced that there is a possibility of creation of a new energy mix that would in turn bolster in employability measures and boost gross domestic product within the forthcoming time frame that is slated to be 2021 and 2023.
Mr Al Ali further stated that: “Masdar, which is maintained by Abu Dhabi’s strategic investment company Mubadala, revealed this week that it plans to create a hydrogen-production plants. The pilot projects will also emphasis on how the clean fuel can be utilized to power vehicles.”
“We have seen also that governments are thinking about [a] sustainable green recovery from this economic crisis,” Mr Al Ali said. “So, people think about spending funds on green, sustainable initiatives. This, for us, is an opportunity and also our duty to support these governments and be part of their sustainability plans.”
Masdar signed an agreement just recently alongside Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy, Etihad Airways, the Lufthansa Group, Khalifa University, Siemens Energy and Japan’s Marubeni Corporation for the sustenance and the progression of the UAE’s green hydrogen economy.
Mr Al Ali was also elated regard the potential of the US as a market for renewables under the forthcoming Biden supervision.
