Etihad Rail has awarded the Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and the EDF Group, a contract to build and operate a 600kWp solar photovoltaic system with a 2.56MWh BESS that will assist in decarbonizing one of its most critical freight terminals located at the UAE-Saudi border. During the Abu Dhabi event, the Global Rail 2024, it signed the deal.
The project will produce up to 85% of the electricity used in the terminal from solar. Etihad Rail’s statement did not mention what value, the timeline, and the duration of the contract for this project are, but it highlighted the fact that over 8,500 tonnes of CO2 will be saved through this project during the contract period. This will fulfill the Net Zero by 2050 Strategy of the UAE. The aim is at bringing on reductions across all sectors and, among a host of other measures, reducing CO2 emissions from road transport by 21% by 2050.
Ghuweifat freight terminal is one of the enablers for cross-border operations. It is an important logistics hub in the region, and this project is expected to contribute greener freight operations. The solar PV system and battery storage will aid the terminal to achieve more sustainable operation because it uses renewable energy during daytime and stores excess energy for night use.
Emerge is a company founded in 2021 that develops solar energy, energy storage, and hybrid solutions for commercial and industrial projects. This partnership with Etihad Rail will boost the provision of solar power to decarbonize the terminal and achieve more set sustainability goals for the UAE.
