Energy Review participated as media at the World Future Energy Summit during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2022 in Abu Dhabi at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Other corresponding events during the show included WFES Energy, WFES Water, WFES Solar, ecoWASTE Exhibition and Forum, WFES Smart Cities, and WFES Climate and Environment.

Important and informative topics of sustainability and the global transition to clean energy were discussed in various platforms in addition to showcasing technologies and innovations from around the world. The event also hosted industry forums where the latest trends and best practices for renewable energy and sustainable technology were presented and were attended by both government and international business leaders. The WFES platform provided truly global, in-person opportunities for business, innovation and knowledge exchange.

The major highlights during the sustainability week were as follows:

ADNOC became the first company in the region to partner with the UK’s net-zero technology centre, leveraging the important role of technology in contributing to the UAE’s net zero by 2050 strategic initiative. The joint efforts will contribute to the TechXClean energy accelerator programme that provides clean energy start-ups and early-stage businesses with the tools, support and resources they need to grow, with the aim of accelerating the transition to an affordable net zero energy industry.

Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, and ENGIE, a global player in low-carbon energy and services, have signed a collaboration agreement with Fertiglobe, the strategic partnership between OCI N.V. and the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), and the world’s largest seaborne exporter of urea and merchant ammonia. Under the agreement, the companies will look to co-develop a globally cost-competitive green hydrogen facility in the UAE, with a capacity of as much as 200 megawatts (MW), to support the production of green ammonia.

Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s flagship sustainable urban development and Emirates Development Bank (EDB) signed a MoU to advance the UAE’s economic diversification agenda by identifying potential collaboration opportunities across sectors including banking and finance. The MoU was signed by Abdulla Balalaa, executive director, Masdar City and Ahmed Mohamed Al Naqbi, chief executive officer, Emirates Development Bank. Additionally, senior executives from Masdar, Siemens Energy and TotalEnergies have also agreed to act as co-developers for a demonstrator plant project, which will be established at Masdar City.

The Abu Dhabi department of energy (DoE) signed a memorandum of understanding on the ‘Building retrofit programme to improve electricity and water efficiency’ across five Abu Dhabi government entities. The MoU underpins the department’s mandate to enhance energy efficiency and engage all relevant entities in its efforts to improve energy and water demand-side management in the emirate. The five entities that signed the agreement were the Abu Dhabi city municipality, department of education and knowledge, department of health, department of community development, and Abu Dhabi energy services, and Zayed higher organization for people of determination.

It was also announced during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week that the Barakah nuclear energy plant in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi will prevent more carbon emissions than previously expected.

New data made available by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) identifies nuclear energy as the energy source with the lowest lifecycle carbon emissions, making it one of the cleanest of all the assessed technologies. Based on the latest data, the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has announced that the four Units of the Barakah Plant will prevent 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions every year, 6% more than previously forecast.

Important topics such as advancing the circular economy in the solar industry, zero waste, food security, smart cities technologies, net zero energy and decarbonisation, green hydrogen, renewable energy, sustainability-linked finance, water management, etc. were discussed at great length by industry specialists and leaders.

WFES event is in line with ADNEC’s commitment to creating a greener and more sustainable future for the MICE industry, as well as highlights its positive impact on the business tourism industry.