A group of Omani women has launched an initiative to tackle food waste in Oman through the “Zeelah Project.” This project aims to recycle leftover food from households and businesses, converting it into fertilizer to support environmental sustainability. The project, developed by seven women from National Finance, won the Best Project Award at Ooredoo’s Springboard competition. Alia Al Balushi, the leader of the Zeelah Project, explained that the project’s name, “Zeelah,” comes from Omani culture and refers to a bin traditionally used to store food scraps for animals. The project focuses on reducing food waste and promoting sustainable practices. The…
Author: Lakshita Kapoor
Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of ADNOC and UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, recently highlighted the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on energy consumption and the renewable energy sector. Speaking at ADIPEC 2024, he noted that AI’s rapid growth, especially since tools like ChatGPT emerged, has created new energy demands. As AI systems require significant power, particularly for data centers, there is an increasing need for renewable energy to support these operations. Dr. Al Jaber indicated that oil companies, including ADNOC, may explore greater investments in renewables to meet the energy needs of this rapidly expanding technology sector. ADNOC…
Mercantile & Maritime Group has announced the expansion of its biofuel processing plant at MENA Terminals in Fujairah, UAE. The expansion, valued at AED 2.2 billion, will add more than 1 million square feet to the existing facility. It is expected to be completed by 2026. Once finished, the plant will produce up to 150 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) annually. This will account for nearly 10% of the current global SAF production. The facility aims to support the UAE’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions and develop local low-carbon aviation fuel sources. The plant will focus on producing…
The Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) has begun the qualification process for its first group of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. This initial batch consists of four projects, each with a total capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) and a storage duration of 4 hours, bringing the total capacity to 2,000 MW across all projects. The projects are located in different regions of Saudi Arabia, including Makkah, Qassim, and Hail provinces. The four projects include the Al-Muwyah BESS site and the Haden BESS site, both in Makkah province. Each of these sites will have a 500MW/4Hrs capacity. The Al-Khushaybi BESS…
Three companies have been shortlisted as winning bidders to develop the Khazna Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Independent Power Project in Abu Dhabi, according to the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC). The three proposals are from ENGIE, a consortium comprised of EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power (KOWEPO), and a consortium comprised of Jinko Power and JERA, for the development of the new 1,500-megawatt (AC) Khazna Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Independent Power Project. This project will bring 1,500 megawatts (AC) of new solar power to the UAE, powering approximately 160,000 homes. The chosen bidders will collaborate with EWEC to build what will…
Madkour Group has been awarded a contract to construct a grid station in Oman to support the energy evacuation from a new wind farm. This wind farm is set to be developed at Jaalan Bani Bu Ali in the Al Sharqiyah South Governorate. The Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC), which operates the national grid, is the client for this project. This contract represents Madkour Group’s first venture into Oman’s energy infrastructure sector. The company will build a 132kV grid station linked to a wind farm that will have a capacity between 100 and 200 megawatts (MW). An overhead line of…
The UAE announced a plan to invest up to AED 200 billion (approximately USD 54 billion) in sustainable energy over the next six years. Suhail Al Mazrouei, the UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, outlined this strategy during the opening of ADIPEC 2024, an annual event in the energy sector. The minister said this investment is part of the UAE’s strategy to meet increasing energy demands while moving toward net-zero emissions by 2050. The UAE’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint includes diversifying its energy sources and relying more on clean energy. This includes plans to decrease carbon emissions from…
Iraq has initiated several solar and renewable energy projects in 2023 and 2024, one of the upcoming solar projects which Iraq is moving to finalize is a contract with Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power to build a 1,000-megawatt (MW) solar power plant. The Iraqi News Agency reported that Iraq’s Electricity Minister, Ziad Fadil, met with ACWA Power’s management in Baghdad to discuss the project. During this meeting, the Minister emphasized the need to expedite construction. This planned solar power plant with ACWA Power forms part of Iraq’s broader renewable energy program, which aims to increase electricity production capacity using renewable sources.…
ADNOC, Masdar, and Microsoft have released a joint report titled “Powering Possible: AI and Energy for a Sustainable Future,” examining how artificial intelligence (AI) can support the global energy sector’s transition toward renewable and low-emission sources. The report discusses AI’s potential to improve energy efficiency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and drive innovations in renewable energy. The report surveyed over 400 experts in energy, technology, AI, academia, and finance. Participants included UAE Minister of State for AI Omar Al Alama, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, and TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné. The survey revealed that 92% of energy sector executives expect AI to…
Red Sea Global (RSG), developer of tourism sites AMAALA and The Red Sea, has announced the financial close of a $1.5 billion agreement for infrastructure development at AMAALA, a resort on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast. The project, supported by a consortium led by EDF Group and Masdar along with Korea East-West Power Co. (EWP) and SUEZ, will provide AMAALA with renewable energy-based infrastructure, enabling off-grid power. The consortium reached the financial close for a 25-year multi-utility concession agreement with Red Sea Global. This contract includes financing, engineering, development, construction, operation, and maintenance of facilities for energy, water, and waste…