UAE | Environment

UAE 'ideal' for renewable energy

The UAE has the right climate and topography for the production and use of renewable energy - particularly wind and solar - as the country pushes for non-polluting alternative energy sources.

  • By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
  • Published: 22:48 July 2, 2009
  • Gulf News

  • Image Credit: Bloomberg News
  • The UAE, which is hosting the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency, could make use of wind turbines to produce electricity.

Al Ain: The UAE has the right climate and topography for the production and use of renewable energy - particularly wind and solar - as the country pushes for non-polluting alternative energy sources.

Extensive research efforts are being made by scientists and experts on different projects in the country against a backdrop of a worldwide race for renewable energy resources and technologies, said Dr Mohammad Yaqoub, an expert at the UAE University (UAEU).

The worldwide growth in solar and wind energy is on the rise and the UAE has immense opportunities for these two energies.

"Abu Dhabi's western region and the mountainous areas such as Jebel Hafeet and Fujairah mountains are the ideal places for solar and winds energy," said Dr Yaqoub, who is an Associate Professor of Remote Sensing and GIS at the Department of Geography of the UAE University.

Explaining renewable energy, he said it was generated from natural resources such as wind, sunlight and geothermal sources.

This energy, he said, could be used to produce electricity for domestic and industrial use.

The UAE is one of the world's largest per capita electricity consumers and has looked at nuclear energy to meet the future needs.

Dr Yaqoub said renewable energy had a number of benefits, pointing out it was free, apart from the initial investment and scheduled maintenance, as compared to the oil and other conventional energy resources.

The plan to develop the world's first carbon-free city, Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, has had a huge impact on research and development efforts for renewable energy in the Emirates.

The UAE's hosting of the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency, the first multi-government body to focus exclusively on the global development of renewable energy sources, has already revolutionised those efforts, said the expert, who is also working on different renewable energy projects.

What difference do you see this making for the UAE? Do you think this will make more of a impact now that developing countries are taking action?

Your comments


This is a big milestone for UAE. I was always watching the developments in solar energy thru net browsing. We have an abundant resourse compare to western countries.
Jose
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 03, 2009, 17:35

this isa very good idea all muslim countries need this energy.
A Rahman Beloushi
Al Ain,UAE
Posted: July 03, 2009, 15:03

Of course, all these projects will have a very big impact on other countries for developing alternative energy.
Canivet
Paris,France
Posted: July 03, 2009, 12:12

This certainly does make a difference as far as pollution-free energy is concerned.
H. Gurung
Dubai,UAE
Posted: July 03, 2009, 11:12

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