The managing director and chief executive officer of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, has shed light on how the UAE’s focus on nuclear energy is helping the nation drive electrification hand-in-hand with decarbonisation to ensure that both energy security and energy sustainability targets are met in the nation’s move towards its net-zero goals.
“Nations need to take a realistic, technology-agnostic approach to developing their energy portfolios to ensure we are able to meet the demands of the ever-growing market for clean electricity,” Al Hammadi said during a panel session at the World Government Summit 2022 held at the Expo 2020 Dubai site.
The panel, which focused on governing peaceful nuclear energy for global prosperity, also included Mariam Al Mheiri, the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, and William D Magwood, the director-general of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA).
The panel shared their views on the current global challenge of ensuring energy security and reliability, while in parallel driving the decarbonisation of the power sector as part of the clean energy transition in pursuit of net-zero.
Mohamed Al Hammadi said: “Today, the world is facing the combined global challenges of ensuring energy security and energy sustainability. The pace and unpredictability of change in the world requires a new approach.
“The UAE is well ahead of the curve as a result of the wise decisions taken back in 2006 through the development of a diversified energy policy. The nation is reaping the benefits of this approach with the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant now 50 percent operational, generating abundant, zero-emissions electricity 24/7 to help secure our power needs. This provides a foundation for intermittent renewable sources, save billions of dollars’ worth of gas every year to be diverted for other uses, and accelerating our path to net-zero 2050.”
Looking to the future, Al Hammadi added: “The Barakah Plant is just the beginning for the UAE Peaceful Nuclear Energy Programme. The electricity we generate will enable more UAE companies and industries to perform better from an ESG perspective, in addition to accessing the $54 trillion dollar ESG global market.
“We are also evaluating opportunities to expand into areas such as clean hydrogen, synthetic fuels, regional grid development, as well as nuclear R&D, innovations in cybersecurity and other related sectors. We are committed to advancing the UAE Program, working with the best partners across the UAE and globally, to support the delivery of a net-zero economy in the decades ahead.”
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