The UAE has significant energy resources beyond oil — the country has amongst the highest number of hours of sunshine a year in the world. Its efforts to make use of this sustainable resource to develop the country while protecting the environment has been boosted by the launch of its latest solar initiative.
Yesterday, phase one of the 280,000 square metre Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Solar Park was inaugurated by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, at Seih Al Dahal. The new solar power station began working on World Energy Day, illustrating once again the UAE’s ability to put its commitment to international best practice into action.
The solar park joins Abu Dhabi’s clean energy projects, such as Shams 1 and Masdar — which is promoting the use of sustainable resources through research and development and investment and commercialisation — and many other green power initiatives in the UAE.
By developing new technology and the necessary human resources and infrastructure, the UAE is securing its place as a major provider of energy — beyond the export of oil. This will help diversify the country’s economy and sources of revenue at a time when the world is looking for alternatives to oil and new sources of energy production threatens to drive down prices.
The UAE Government is showing the way for private companies to join the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This is important because the support of companies and consumers is necessary to ensure that green energy becomes increasingly commercially viable. Already Dubai is looking to develop the next phases of the solar park in partnership with private companies.
But as much as the government is investing in new sources of renewable energy, consumers and companies must also be responsible in the way they use power. All citizens and residents of the UAE must reduce their power consumption as far as possible to protect the global environment and conserve natural resources.
