WFES Dailies 2022_Day 02

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DAILY NEWS DAY 2, 18 JANUARY 2022 Today 02

Global businesses showcase clean energy technologies The World Future Energy Summit, hosted by Masdar as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, and held in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy and NEOM Electricity & Water, began yesterday with five simultaneous thought leadership forums: the Solar & Clean Energy, EcoWASTE, Climate & Environment, Smart Cities, and Water forums.

Khalid Salem, President, Mitsubishi Power Middle East & North Africa (MENA) World Future Energy Summit serves as a platform to demonstrate innovative clean energy technologies for decarbonisation, including hydrogen solutions which can competitively fulfil clean energy expectations and bring us one step closer towards a carbon neutral society.”

Energy

The World Future Energy Summit is where the brightest minds in the business meet in person.

Innovations

Smart cities

Increasing energy yield

Global innovations

The smart city tightrope

TrinaTracker has launched the Vanguard 1P singlerow tracker, which has made the series exceptionally reliable in areas with high dust concentration levels. In addition, the top five intelligent cleaning robots manufactures are compatible with the product and, as a result, Vanguard 1P guarantees high energy yield in markets like the Middle East characterised by large desert land extension. With the cleaning robots assembled in Vanguard 1P, the system's power generation can be enhanced by more than 10% by effectively eliminating sand and dust on modules.

As part of Masdar City’s ‘Innovate’ initiative, 18 new technologies are on display at the World Future Energy Summit 2022.

Opening the Smart City Forum, Dr. Nabyl Chenaf, Dean of the Architecture School at the American University in Dubai, was joined by an expert panel who disclosed that data-driven cities (supported by innovative technologies) can bring incredible benefits such as improving water and energy usage; gaining efficiency on traffic flow systems; and the monitoring and optimisation of garbage waste collection and recycling.

Natalia Cottrino, Senior Key Account Manager at TrinaTracker, presented the new product during a launch ceremony at the World Future Energy Summit.

The innovations from across the globe all hold the potential to revolutionise key industries including urban mobility, clean energy, agritech and food security, and artificial intelligence.

“The World Future Energy Summit serves as a platform to demonstrate innovative clean energy technologies.”

However, the panellists warned against an overreliance on data, suggesting that it was important that the ‘human factor’ was not lost in city designs.

In addition, over-sharing data could be invasive, and it is important to know when to draw the line and decide as a society what information we are happy to share and what we are not.

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DAILY NEWS

“We have a very positive outlook for the waste management industry in the Middle East.”

Domen Bocker, Group General Manager Sales & Marketing, GORICA Group

SUSTAINABLE FINANCE: Latest developments

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EcoWASTE Forum throws the spotlight on the circular economy The eighth edition of EcoWASTE 2022 Exhibition and Forum opened yesterday under the slogan “exploring future opportunities for waste management to achieve a circular economy”.

EcoWASTE 2022 is held as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week and organised with the strategic partnership of the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre (Tadweer), which invites all companies and specialists to visit the Exhibition to learn about the latest technologies in the field of waste management.

in waste treatment, as well as projects in waste collection, pest control and public awareness. Also presented will be sessions on solutions for waste management, highlighting best practices, benchmarks and case studies, including those relating to Covid-19 waste management and safety standards.”

Dr. Al Kaabi mentioned that projects in the pipeline include a waste-to-energy project with EWEC, and a joint waste-to-fuel project with Etihad. He also highlighted public awareness projects to enhance recycling and household hygiene, where Tadweer’s centre for waste recycling in the community plays an important role.

H.E. Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, Director General of Tadweer, stressed that sustainable management practices and a circular economy approach are crucial to achieve its target of diverting 80% of waste from landfill by 2030. Sustainable and circular economy solutions are needed for all stakeholders in waste management, he added, from producers, users and transporters to facility management.

“The EcoWASTE forum is aligned with Tadweer’s vision to advance the sustainability and circular economy agenda,” said His Excellency. “During the forum Tadweer will present its projects that will help contribute to the 2030 target, such as mega projects

“Technology and innovation are very important in facilitating waste reduction targets and increasing quality,” Dr. Al Kaabi stressed.

H.E. Dr. Salem Al Kaabi, Director General of Tadweer, giving the opening speech at the EcoWASTE Forum.

“The Forum will provide good opportunities to explore new solutions in waste management and advance business opportunities,” he concluded. “I am confident the Forum will produce a wealth of actionable ideas enabling us to work together to create a more sustainable environment for future generations.”

Enova experiences strong regional growth Enova, the regional leader in integrated energy and multi-technical services, is experiencing strong regional growth and is now expanding into Turkey.

and thereby CO2 emissions,” he adds. “Here we are the most important provider of solutions for Tarshid.”

CEO Renaud Capris explains that Enova has three core pillars – facility management with multi-technical services; energy management; and solar PV.

As regards Enova’s footprint in the Middle East, Capris explains that Enova has been working in seven geographies – Saudi Arabia, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon and Egypt. The company is now starting operations in Turkey, where it sees large possibilities to reduce the energy consumption of clients.

He highlights the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey as the markets to which the company is most committed, and where it expects to have the greatest impact.

“Our main contribution to sustainability is to reduce the energy consumption in the buildings of our clients, thereby reducing their carbon footprint,” he says.

“Our real differentiation as a facility management company is not only to integrate into our contracts excellence in facility management but, also to offer energy optimisation. I believe the future of the industry it not only to manage the assets of our clients, but also to reduce CO2.”

Enova’s main clients include Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Riyadh and Dammam airports. The company also recently started up operations for Dubai Metro as facility manager for Keolis Mitsubishi, which is responsible for operating and maintaining the Metro. He goes on to say that Enova has just been awarded a large energy performance contract by Aldar, whereby it guarantees 18% energy savings across 18 buildings, impacting around 10,000 tonnes of energy emissions.

“We are also focusing on sustainability in Saudi Arabia, where we are the largest company working for governmental organisations to reduce energy

Enova sees particularly strong potential in Turkey, where it has just signed its first contract for solar PV, and there are projects in the pipeline for energy management and solar.

The company experienced strong growth between 2019-2021, when it grew by 25%, despite a dip in revenues in 2020. It is expecting further growth of 10-15 % in 2022. Of its three main activities, energy management is assuming increasing importance as clients look for energy savings in line with sustainability plans. Capris notes the UAE’s strong sustainability ambitions, and adds that Saudi Arabia has ambitions for CO2 reduction.

“We are the perfect partner to support plans for energy saving,” he comments.

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DAILY NEWS

“Our ambition is to integrate an energy management component into facility management contracts to support clients in their energy reduction goals.”

Renaud Capris, CEO of Enova

HYDROGEN: High hopes for the clean fuel

11 Image credit: ACCIONA

Ensuring sustainable water management Jesús Sancho, Director General, ACCIONA ME, outlines the organisation’s involvement in the region’s sustainable water and desalination projects.

What are some of ACCIONA's major water and desalination projects in the Middle East?

ACCIONA has been active in the region for more than 10 years. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman are our major markets.

The Dubai Metro's Red Line extension for Route 2020, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and the operation and maintenance of the desalination plant in Sohar are some of our projects in the region.

How is ACCIONA using digitalisation to bring greater benefits to customers in the region?

Across its operations, ACCIONA uses digital tools including remote controlled services, digital twins and AI. For example, the digital twin of the Al Khobar desalination project enabled testing and commissioning during lockdown, with few people onsite and remote controlled operations from Spain.

Digitalisation is also used widely in other areas of our operations, such as design using BIM and developing in-house tools that help predict the quality of treated water.

Jesús Sancho, Director General, ACCIONA ME.

What are some of ACCIONA’s sustainability initiatives?

ACCIONA is committed towards enriching communities.

What measures are the region taking for challenges in desalination?

We use reverse osmosis technology for desalination, which promotes higher efficiency with specific energy consumption of less than 4 KWH/ cubic metre of potable water produced. We are selective about the projects we undertake.

ACCIONA's Sustainability Masterplan 2025 adheres to strict standards.

The challenges of harsh climatic conditions are overcome through efficent networks to convey water to the population. The governments of the region are also investing in creating awareness on water sustainability, especially for children.

Redefining energy transition Dr. Shamma Al Malek, Director in Strategic Affairs Directorate, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, presented the keynote address at the World Future Energy Summit’s Solar and Clean Energy Forum.

“Energy has been the engine of our industrial and economic evolution, with transformational trends driven by technology and innovations emerging, to fight climate change.”

She highlighted the major initiatives in Abu Dhabi, that are helping accelerate goals for green energy. Abu Dhabi now has two of the world’s largest solar PV plants – the Noor Abu Dhabi with 1.2 GW and the Al Dhafra Solar Plant, boasting 2 GW of power generation capacity. These solar and nuclear projects aim to boost power generation in the emirate from clean sources to nearly 55% by 2025.

“We continue to focus on low-carbon technologies such as green hydrogen and CCUS technologies,” she remarked.

Dr. Shamma Al Malek, Director in Strategic Affairs Directorate, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy

The Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalisation Strategy has the potential to save 22% energy and 32% water by 2030. The emirate has also launched initiatives for energy production from waste. Al Malek pointed out that the clean energy agreement between ADNOC and EWEC recently, is another great example of Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy efforts.

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DAILY NEWS

“Our ambition is to integrate an energy management component into facility management contracts to support clients in their energy reduction goals.”

Renaud Capris, CEO of Enova

HYDROGEN: High hopes for the clean fuel

11 Image credit: ACCIONA

Ensuring sustainable water management Jesús Sancho, Director General, ACCIONA ME, outlines the organisation’s involvement in the region’s sustainable water and desalination projects.

What are some of ACCIONA's major water and desalination projects in the Middle East?

ACCIONA has been active in the region for more than 10 years. Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE and Oman are our major markets.

The Dubai Metro's Red Line extension for Route 2020, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park and the operation and maintenance of the desalination plant in Sohar are some of our projects in the region.

How is ACCIONA using digitalisation to bring greater benefits to customers in the region?

Across its operations, ACCIONA uses digital tools including remote controlled services, digital twins and AI. For example, the digital twin of the Al Khobar desalination project enabled testing and commissioning during lockdown, with few people onsite and remote controlled operations from Spain.

Digitalisation is also used widely in other areas of our operations, such as design using BIM and developing in-house tools that help predict the quality of treated water.

Jesús Sancho, Director General, ACCIONA ME.

What are some of ACCIONA’s sustainability initiatives?

ACCIONA is committed towards enriching communities.

What measures are the region taking for challenges in desalination?

We use reverse osmosis technology for desalination, which promotes higher efficiency with specific energy consumption of less than 4 KWH/ cubic metre of potable water produced. We are selective about the projects we undertake.

ACCIONA's Sustainability Masterplan 2025 adheres to strict standards.

The challenges of harsh climatic conditions are overcome through efficent networks to convey water to the population. The governments of the region are also investing in creating awareness on water sustainability, especially for children.

Redefining energy transition Dr. Shamma Al Malek, Director in Strategic Affairs Directorate, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, presented the keynote address at the World Future Energy Summit’s Solar and Clean Energy Forum.

“Energy has been the engine of our industrial and economic evolution, with transformational trends driven by technology and innovations emerging, to fight climate change.”

She highlighted the major initiatives in Abu Dhabi, that are helping accelerate goals for green energy. Abu Dhabi now has two of the world’s largest solar PV plants – the Noor Abu Dhabi with 1.2 GW and the Al Dhafra Solar Plant, boasting 2 GW of power generation capacity. These solar and nuclear projects aim to boost power generation in the emirate from clean sources to nearly 55% by 2025.

“We continue to focus on low-carbon technologies such as green hydrogen and CCUS technologies,” she remarked.

Dr. Shamma Al Malek, Director in Strategic Affairs Directorate, Abu Dhabi Department of Energy

The Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management and Energy Rationalisation Strategy has the potential to save 22% energy and 32% water by 2030. The emirate has also launched initiatives for energy production from waste. Al Malek pointed out that the clean energy agreement between ADNOC and EWEC recently, is another great example of Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy efforts.

www.worldfutureenergysummit.com

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DAILY NEWS

“It is green hydrogen that will bring new and diverse participants to the market, diversify routes and supplies and shift power from the few to the many.”

EcoWASTE Forum: Interview

Wassim Moussaoui, Managing Director, Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Middle East Holdings discusses the importance of hydrogen in the future energy mix and the solutions available to achieve a circular economy in the Middle East.

Often touted as the ‘fuel of the future’, much has been made of hydrogen and the role it could have in the future energy mix. As Moussaoui explains “Hydrogen will be a key player in the transition from the reliance on fossil fuels, whether for transportation, energy generation, chemical manufacturing, steel industries, etc. To really exploit this fuel we need to look at it as a complete solution – generating hydrogen is good but we need to spend money on infrastructure to make it a viable solution for the future.”

To support the switch to hydrogen and generally help companies reduce their CO2 emissions, B&W have developed the ClimateBright suite of technologies which includes four solutions. BrightLoop is an energy production technology that supports industries’ low carbon initiatives. It is a chemical looping process using a unique particle which allows it to react with a variety of feedstocks (this is different from other looping systems which require the use of copper nickel, cobalt or other materials).

Moussaoui comments, “The BrightLoop process can be used for a wide range of applications including hydrogen production. The process can make use of different and complicated feedstocks – for example, in the petrochemical industry, petroleum coke (petcoke) is a liability but we can

Waste-to-energy A pertinent issue currently facing the Middle East is the rising levels of waste brought on by an expanding population. However, in this challenge B&W sees opportunity, and has designed a range of waste-to-energy solutions to meet this demand in an environmentally-friendly way.

“In order to reduce the size and environmental impact (such as methane emissions) from landfills many regions are transitioning from a linear economy to a circular model where materials are made, used and re-used to the full extent. Waste-to-energy is complementary to recycling and can help support the circular economy. This is really a new technology in the Middle East, but it is a very promising region and there are lots of efforts being pursued to make this a viable solution in the future,” says Moussaoui.

Profiting from partnerships The wide decarbonisation

range of and clean

A unique renewable solution Al-Babtain LeBLANC Emirates Telecommunication Systems LLC (ALBLEM), Bidaya Group, DirectTech Verwaltungs GmbH and WindQuiet Technologies, Inc. have announced their intention to form a collaboration on renewable energy solutions to meet the growing demands of the infrastructure developments in the UAE and the Middle East region.

use it in our system as a feedstock. Biogas, biomass, natural gas, you name it, it is a very flexible technology in this regard and it is highly scalable depending on the needs of the customer. CO2 is also captured in situ which is a very big benefit towards reducing the CO2 footprint and I believe is essential for the net-zero puzzle.”

Alongside the BrightLoop technology in B&W’s ClimateBright suite are SolveBright, a postcombustion regenerable solvent based solution to help customers reduce their CO2 emissions; OxyBright, a combustion process suited for CO2 isolation and sequestration applications; and BrightGen, which is a hydrogen combustion technology.

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Wassim Moussaoui, Managing Director, Babcock & Wilcox (B&W) Middle East Holdings. energy solutions that have been developed by B&W have benefitted from close work with academic institutions, governments and other companies. In November 2021, the company signed a global licensing agreement with the Ohio State Innovation Foundation for the innovative chemical looping technology which is used in B&W’s BrightLoop offering.

“B&W is also part of the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) Duration Addition to electricitY Storage (DAYS) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy team which is developing an electrical particle heater and pressurised fluidised-bed heat exchanger.

This is a long-term energy storage system which will be able to store thermal energy for up to 100 hours, which can then be used to generate power for the grid. This technology pairs well with renewables such as wind or solar energy that may be intermittent in their availability, allowing them to be reliable sources of baseload generation.

B&W’s proven and established pressurised fluidised-bed boiler technology is an ideal choice for advancing this technology to commercial operations,” Moussaoui continues.

The collaboration, which was announced through a press release at the World Future Energy Summit, will bring together the respective strengths of the companies to capture renewable energy market opportunities.

Al-Babtain LeBLANC (ABLEM) has played a major role in developing communication infrastructure and providing security and smart infrastructure solutions and facilities across the Middle East region.

DirectTech Verwaltungs GmBh and WindQuiet Technologies, Inc. have developed innovative technologies of the vertical axis wind turbines integrated with solar and wind power, energy storage equipment as well as remote monitoring and control systems to meet the specific needs of the telecommunication and other missioncritical infrastructure applications.

Image credit: WindQuiet

Completing the net zero puzzle

Image credit: B&W

Francesco La Camera, Director-General of IRENA

WindQuiet’s stand at WFES. Bidaya Group’s global relations and experience in the EMEA market have enabled WindQuiet and DirectTech to position themselves as energy solution providers.

The agreement allows the companies to offer their customers a unique solution that is not only technically advanced but also environment friendly. The teams from the companies have been working tirelessly on the technical configurations as well as the commercial details based on their customers’ particular applications.

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“COP26 has put into place the scaffolding for the post-2020 finance landscape.”

Lorena González, climate finance lead at the World Resources Institute (WRI)

CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT FORUM: Agenda

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The growth of green finance As well as being a year in which significant political efforts were made to speed up the energy transition, 2021 was also record-breaking for green finance, as governments, international institutions and lenders alike seek to support the shift towards renewables.

Oxford Business Group reports.

Image credit: Adobe Stock

The issuance of green bonds – financial instruments that fund environmentally sustainable projects – was forecast to reach a recordbreaking level of US$500bn in 2021, according to the Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI). This is a 46% increase on the 2020 figure of US$270bn, which itself was an all-time record.

Emblematic of the increased appetite for sustainable finance was the EU’s US$14bn issuance of green bonds in October, the largest ever of its kind. The money raised will be distributed among member states, to be used for clean energy projects and developments that help governments achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

A number of emerging markets have also made significant progress on this front. For example, Saudi tourism project developer The Red Sea Development Company secured a SR14.1bn (US$3.8bn) green bond from four Saudi banks, with the funds to go towards building 16 renewable energy-powered hotels across the country. Highlighting the potential future growth of the segment, the CBI predicts that green bond issuances will crack the US$1trn mark in 2023.

Global financial markets have also turned to specific tools designed to ensure a responsible transition towards low-carbon sources of energy.

One of these is the transition bond, used to fund a company’s transition towards reduced environmental impact or lower carbon emissions. They are often issued in fields that would not normally qualify for green bonds, such as large carbonemitting industries like oil and gas, iron and steel, chemicals, aviation and shipping.

Although still a nascent segment, there were 14 transition bond issuances worth US$5bn in the first nine months of 2021, according to the CBI, accounting for more than half of the US$9.9bn issued since their inception in 2018.

COP26, held in Glasgow in November, provided a boost to other transitionrelated solutions. World leaders agreed to reform global carbon markets and agree on a universal set of rules for carbon trading, seen as key tools in the

There is an increased appetite for sustainable finance. transition towards decarbonisation. In fact, many expect the development to lead to an increase in climate-friendly investment in lower-income nations.

Also in November, France, Germany, the UK, US and EU announced an initial commitment of US$8.5bn to accelerate South Africa’s shift away from coal and towards low-emission sources of energy.

The increase in demand for sustainable finance has naturally coincided with a move away from funding fossil fuel projects. On the sidelines of COP26, 34 countries and four international finance institutions pledged to end financing for “unabated” fossil fuel projects in overseas countries by the end of 2022. Banks and major financial institutions including HSBC, Fidelity International and Ethos also agreed to end the funding of unabated coal, highlighting how large financial institutions can play a key role in the energy transition.

The insurance industry also has a potentially significant role to play in the shift towards decarbonisation. In July eight of the world’s largest insurers and reinsurers – AXA, Allianz, Aviva, Generali, Munich Re, SCOR, Swiss Re and Zurich – established the Net-Zero Insurance Alliance, a UN-convened body that has the goal of transitioning their underwriting portfolios to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Combatting greenwashing

The Red Sea Development Company secured a SR14.1bn (US$3.8bn) green bond from four Saudi banks to go towards building 16 renewable energypowered hotels.

While broadly welcomed globally, these shifts towards green finance have increased calls for updated and more stringent rules on what constitutes sustainable finance. Although many countries, institutions and stock exchanges have their own rules, there are concerns that a lack of universal guidelines could lead to widespread greenwashing from governments and private corporations alike, particularly in light of the rapid growth in green finance.

To help address the situation, in recent months China and the EU have collaborated on developing joint green investment standards, releasing a report in November that outlined how green investment guidelines could be aligned.

While still at an early stage, this type of cooperation is seen as necessary to facilitating the growth of green finance in the future.

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“We need to talk about food as a value cycle and how we bring back what we lose. Technology can enable that change.”

Dr. Majid Sultan Al Qassimi, Partner, Soma Mater

SMART CITIES FORUM: Sustainable living

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The future of sustainable living One of the top attractions at Expo 2020 Dubai, Terra – the Sustainability Pavilion, highlights intelligent strategies for future sustainable living.

The facility’s strength lies in its capacity to demonstrate a new way of living sustainably in a challenging desert environment.

Drawing inspiration from complex natural processes such as photosynthesis, the Pavilion captures energy from sunlight and fresh water from humid air. The facility’s strength lies in its capacity to demonstrate a new way of living sustainably in a challenging desert environment. This self contained, micro-ecosystem optimises the natural conditions inherent in its location, working with and within them to maximise efficiency and supplementing them with pioneering sustainable technologies to create innovative solutions.

The design is driven by maximising efficiency, which it does by seeking shade in the one place available: below the ground. The Pavilion uses the insulating properties of the earth to shield it from the harsh ambient temperatures which can soar to 50 degrees in the warmer months. Most of the accommodation is below ground and cased with an earth roof system, creating a substantial barrier to help reduce its cooling loads and conserve energy. The above ground surfaces are clad with a gabion rainscreen wall – sourced with local stone from the Hajar Mountains – which provides enough thermal mass to absorb the heat while the stone’s natural colour reflects the sun. Flora and fauna sourced from the surrounding deserts – including some species that have been never been cultivated by humans – are arranged on the planted roofs and throughout the gardens, creating a water-efficient landscape that functions through a series of closed loop systems designed to filter, supply and recycle water. The framing of these

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local topographical and floral features, combined with the technologies of water recycling and reuse, provide visitors with a newfound appreciation of the unique region and its biodiversity. The site also includes areas for a productive agricultural landscape, featuring halophytic agriculture and other testing beds.

With more than 6,000 sq m of exhibition space, the Sustainability Pavilion will enjoy a long life after Expo is over, transforming into a science museum and expanding on its mission of exploring sustainable practices and the critical stewardship of our fragile planet.

Borrowing from the vernacular of the region, the courtyard provides a large, passively cooled space for visitors. During the design, thermodynamic studies charting the prevailing breezes were used to shape the courtyard to allow desirable cool southwesterly breezes to enter while blocking warmer winds. Soaring over the courtyard, the Pavilion’s canopy accommodates more than 6,000 sq m of ultraefficient monocrystalline photovoltaic cells embedded in glass panels. The combination of the cell and the glass casing allow the building to harness solar energy while providing shade and daylighting to the visitors below. The form of the canopy works with the courtyard to direct cool air in, while simultaneously exhausting low-lying hot air through a chimney effect at the centre. The canopy also serves as a large collection area for stormwater and dew that replenishes the building’s water system. The result is a structure that combines the most advanced technology in solar capture and a clear understanding of the natural conditions of the site to actively generate energy, while passively cooling and enhancing the experience of the visitor.

Nineteen Energy trees (E-trees) ranging from 1.518m in diameter are dispersed throughout the site and provide 28% of the energy required to power the building. Inspired by the Dragon’s Blood, a tree found only on the island of Socotra, off the coast of Yemen, the E-tree is designed to be a deployable freestanding shade structure that harvests the sun’s energy. The structure is constructed from steel and complex composites and has been optimised to support an 18m photovoltaic array. Taking further cues from nature, the array follows the sun in the same manner as a sunflower, rotating 180 degrees throughout the course of the day to maximise the energy yield and increase the efficiency of the solar cells, before returning to its original position at night.

Energy trees

World Future Energy Summit | Daily News

Supporting the array is an engineered carbon fibre structure inspired by the design of the steering wheel of a yacht. The E-Trees have become an integral part of both the exhibition and the Pavilion site – showcasing and educating visitors on the research on solar harnessing and panel technology – while at the same time, serving as an integral part of the systems that contribute to the net-zero energy goal of the building.

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“Today you can reduce the footprint of the oil and gas industry by 40% if you stop flaring completely.”

Sherif Foda, chairman and CEO, NESR

PARTNERS AND SPONSORS: Meet our supporters

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Sharing expertise H. E. Al Mazrouei urged countries and companies which have already embarked on a learning curve with hydrogen, to share their expertise, and on behalf of the UAE vouched support to emerging markets, such as Africa.

When we talk about hydrogen, I am here to see how I can run when I am just crawling.

In Uganda, up to 95% of its energy comes from renewables, including hydrothermal, solar, biomass and geothermal.

Ruth Nankabirwa Sentamu Minister of Energy and MIneral Development, Uganda

“When we talk about hydrogen I am here to see how I can run with people in the field when I am just crawling,” noted Ruth Nankabirwa Sentamu, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development of Uganda. While the country has been continuously integrating energy sources to provide energy to its far-reaching villages, there is concern about tapping into a source such as hydrogen considering its high costs. The minister made an open invitation to invest in the country, and welcomed collaborations to help navigate concerns over costs and eliminating one of the region’s pressing issues, energy poverty.

H.E. Al Mazrouei stressed the need for collaborative efforts between government, corporates and the private sector as the key to develop the hydrogen industry. With clarity of policy, a boost in investments and the unlocking of new collaborations, hydrogen can be leveraged from a niche sector to being mainstream.

At a Gulf Hydrogen Workshop, industry leaders agreed that investing in technology and scaling up is the most important gateway for hydrogen to become economically competitive in the Middle East. Whether blue or green, hydrogen must be cost competitive against other supplier geographies such as Australia or South Africa, and against fossil fuels, the Gulf Hydrogen Whitepaper Special Report stated as one of its top three key findings. There is a growing appetite for an increasingly diversified energy mix in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, which is opening up a coveted window of opportunity for the region to safeguard its leading role on the global energy stage – and hydrogen

could play a central role in this 21st century strategy.

The Gulf Hydrogen Workshop tackled the critical question of how regional players can best approach the goal of forming successful hydrogen consortiums.

Most countries within the Gulf region enjoy vast industrial capacity thanks to well-established energy value chains, geographical advantages, and rising local and export energy demand; all these drivers are spurring the region’s hydrogen growth ambitions, both at home and abroad.

Partnerships are a central part of this strategy and, while a plethora of deals have been signed by regional National Oil Companies and private operators in the last two years, hydrogen’s regional journey has only just started.

The Middle East must develop enabling and supportive policies that attract investments, launch more pilot projects, and craft more robust national strategies and commitments to give investors the necessary goalposts, the Whitepaper stated.

Image credit: Adobe Stock

“For our friends in Africa, they need their right of energy. It is unfair to ask a country that is just starting to deal with the availability of energy to all its population to follow the most expensive option.

That is why we have to be pragmatic and practical

in how we can take this forward, and build strategic roadmaps where we well define scalability, and supporting technologies for subsequent utilisation.

Certain countries can afford to go into it faster.

These countries can help encourage innovative technologies. We in the UAE will share our knowledge and work with everyone who is ready to work with us to find solutions,” he concluded.

The Middle East offers great potential for the development of green hydrogen as a result of its renewable energy resources.

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