Australian Energy Week 2019 has recently concluded that took place between June 11 and 14. His Excellency Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy has addressed more than 500 local and international energy leaders and decision makers. His Excellency outlined Abu Dhabis programme for energy transformation and plans to diversify energy sources and promote renewable energy. H.E Al Marara also tackled opportunities and challenges that the energy sector is facing locally and globally.

The DoE delegation attended the event as part of an official visit to Australia to strengthen partnerships and facilitate the exchange of expertise between the emirate of Abu Dhabi and leading Australian government entities.

The spike in global demand for energy is an opportunity to align efforts and increase reliance on clean and renewable energy, H.E. Al Marar said in his speech, noting that having International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) headquarters in Abu Dhabi will constantly contribute its efforts to withhold its position as a global leader in clean energy.

The DoE chairman also outlined the massive progress that the Emirate of Abu Dhabi has made in the energy sector at the regional and global levels as part of its programme to transition towards clean energy. The initiative was launched in 2013 when His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, inaugurated Shams 1, the worlds largest concentrated solar power plant in operation after which the Middle Easts first peaceful nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi which houses four reactors with a capacity of 1,400 MW each.

H.E Al Marar highlighted Abu Dhabis dedication to investing in renewable energy citing the Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Plant launched in early 2019 to be one of the largest independent solar power plant at a cost of AED 3.2 billion and with a production capacity of nearly 1,777 MW. These projects are in line with the Emirates plan on clean energy sources with an increase of 7% in 2020, 25% in 2030 and 50% in 2050, H.E explained.

Abu Dhabi has an ambitious programme to promote renewable and clean energy sources, said H.E. Al Marar. Our participation in the Australian Energy Week offered us a prominent platform to showcase the tenets of this programme, and to introduce industry leaders from Australia and the world to Abu Dhabi and the UAEs capabilities, infrastructure, logistics, and appeal to investors, underlining its geographic and strategic importance as a global energy capital.