Dubai: Twelve per cent of Dubai's energy will come from nuclear power by 2030, Saeed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, said on Monday.
But Al Tayer also said that Dubai did not plan to build nuclear power plants of its own but would import power from other nations.
Al Tayer also revealed that a new solar power plant project will soon be developed to reduce reliance on gas as well as to reduce carbon emissions.
He added that while 99 per cent of Dubai's energy production uses gas and one per cent using diesel, the energy strategy 2030 will reduce its dependence on oil and gas.
Sustainable sources
"Twelve per cent of its future energy could come from nuclear energy and another 12 per cent will come from coal-fired power plants, 71 per cent will come from gas and 5 per cent from renewable energy," he said.
"This could be the best option to diversify energy sources in the UAE including alternative and nuclear energy and create ongoing sources of sustainable energy to meet the energy demand."
While he added that the clean coal power project is still under study and research and will go through several phases.
"Until 2012 we can't talk or decide on a solid efficient clean coal power plant."
Dubai plans to offset five million tonnes of carbon annually by 2013, up from its current level of 1.7 million tonnes per year, a top official said.
Al Tayer announced that Dubai’s target is for five per cent of its energy to be produced from renewable sources by 2030.
Al Tayer, who is the managing director and CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, also announced that Dewa had identified a location for a new solar power plant.
“The UAE currently hosts ten registered clean development mechanism [CDM] projects but the aim is to have five million tonnes of carbon emission reduction [CER] by 2013, [so] more projects are in the pipeline.”
Al Tayer’s comments came after the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Development Programme.
