Dubai’s 81st meeting of the Supreme Council of Energy was chaired by H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the council’s Chairman.

The meeting was held virtually and attended by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

Other attendees included Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, the Secretary-General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and board members from various organizations.

The council discussed the Demand Side Management Strategy for 2030 and 2050, which aims to reduce water and electricity consumption through green building activities, building retrofits, efficient operation of industrial and government facilities, and the use of treated wastewater, external lighting, and cooling.

The council is committed to making Dubai a leading example in efficient energy and water demand management.

Al Tayer mentioned that the council regularly reviews programs to reduce water and electricity consumption with the participation of public and private organizations, in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai, to promote a green economy and sustainable development.

The council’s efforts aim to achieve standards and mechanisms that demonstrate the effectiveness of implementation and the percentages achieved in energy resource management.

Al Muhairbi noted that updating the council’s existing strategies reflects the degrees of achievement of the set goals to ensure the effectiveness of the existing programs, aligned with the desired goals in the areas of sustainable development for Dubai.

The council also discussed recommendations to increase the infrastructure for electric vehicle charging stations across the Emirate.

The council looks forward to supporting private companies in building and installing charging stations in line with the public-private partnership model.

As of the end of January, the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in Dubai reached 49,300, and more than 390 charging stations were installed.

The number of charging stations will increase in the coming years.

More on Visions:

vision2030.

vision2040.

The post DSCE to increase energy and water efficiency in Dubai. appeared first on ByMENA.

Shell has recently released its first progress report on energy transition, after the implementation of its Powering Progress strategy in 2021.

During the Capital Markets Day event in June 2023, Shell emphasized how its strategy is designed to generate more value while producing fewer emissions, with a particular emphasis on the “more value” aspect.

This energy transition update focuses on how the strategy effectively delivers “fewer emissions.”

Shell aims to achieve net-zero emissions across all operations and energy products by 2050, which marks a significant shift for the business.

The company is confident that this commitment aligns with the ambitious objectives of the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Shell’s approach advocates for a balanced and orderly transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy solutions, ensuring that energy remains secure and affordable.

According to Wael Sawan, Shell’s CEO, “Energy has significantly contributed to human progress, enabling many worldwide to lead more prosperous lives. Currently, the global community faces the dual challenge of meeting increased energy demands while addressing the pressing issue of climate change. The swift advancements in energy transition observed in recent years across various countries and technologies bolster my firm belief in our strategic direction.”

Sawan further remarked, “Our investment of $10-15bn between 2023 and 2025 in low-carbon energy solutions positions us as a major player in the energy transition.

“Moreover, in 2023, our expenditure on low-carbon solutions reached $5.6bn, accounting for over 23% of our total capital investment” He added.

Shell’s investments in emerging technologies, including electric vehicle charging infrastructure, biofuels, renewable energy, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage, are instrumental in reducing emissions for both Shell and its customers.

More on Shell:

The company aims to scale these technologies to ensure they become an economical option for consumers.

Shell’s advocacy efforts are now focused on pivotal areas deemed essential for the energy transition, such as supporting policies that align with national net-zero goals, including carbon pricing, providing the secure energy supply the world requires, influencing demand shifts, and expanding low-carbon solutions.

In 2023, Shell surpassed 60% of its objective to cut emissions from its operations in half by 2030, relative to its 2016 levels.

This exceeds the commitments made by the signatories of the Oil and Gas Decarbonization Charter established at COP28.

Shell was among the pioneers in setting a goal for near-zero methane emissions by 2030.

In 2023, the company attained a methane emissions intensity of just 0.05%, well below its target of 0.2%. Additionally, Shell contributed to the World Bank’s Global Flaring and Methane Reduction Fund in 2023, further endorsing collective efforts to minimize methane emissions and flaring.

“In 2023, we met our objective to lower the net carbon intensity of the energy products we offer, achieving a 6.3% reduction from 2016 levels – marking the third year in a row we’ve reached our goal,” Sawan observed. “To further the decarbonization of the transport sector, we’ve set a new goal to reduce emissions from the use of our oil products by 15-20% by 2030, in comparison to 2021 divs.

He exclaimed that “We are expanding our power business, including renewable energy ventures, in regions such as Australia, Europe, India, and the USA, and have ceased direct energy supply to residential homes in Europe.”

More on vision2030:

The post Shell invests $15 billion in alternative energy solutions. appeared first on ByMENA.

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC) in Doha, Qatar has initiated a project to rehabilitate 100 meadows over five years.

The goal of this project is to preserve the local ecosystem and address climate change. Qatar’s mainland has 1,273 open habitats or fields, vegetated with grass, herbs, and other non-woody plants, and the project aims to rehabilitate 36 meadows this year.

The rehabilitation process includes cleaning the meadows of waste and planting local trees.

The project aims to develop the plants that grow in the meadows and restore vegetation cover to their natural state.

The meadows will also be fenced to prevent vehicles from entering, while allowing individuals to enjoy the natural diversity these areas offer.

The project will prioritize meadows that are threatened by the destruction of their plant cover, including rare plants.

Some environmental and social standards will be considered in choosing the meadows for rehabilitation.

Each phase of the project will include the restoration of a specific group of meadows, after collecting data on these areas.

MoECC officials, including Assistant Undersecretary for Protection and Natural Reserves, Dr. Ibrahim Al Muslimani, and Director of the Wildlife Development Department, Muhammad Ahmed Al Khanji, recently visited Rawdat Al Qaiya, a meadow in the north of Qatar.

Al Khanji stated that the department’s priority is rehabilitating and protecting the Qatari mainland. The department is working to develop vegetation cover in all regions of the country and launch awareness programs.

The Ministry has developed plans to implement these steps over the coming years.

The department plans to complete the project for listing meadows in the country and launch its database next year.

The Ministry is making great efforts to protect meadows throughout the country since several meadows have been entirely closed to protect rare and endangered plant species.

Some meadows have also been partially closed for planting and rehabilitating them so that the vegetation can regain its normal condition and growth.

Some meadows have been preserved and protected as an important source of plant genetic resources in Qatar.

MoECC efforts over the past years have resulted in the rehabilitation of 31 meadows in various parts of the country.

Additionally, 17,463 wild trees have been planted in various rehabilitated sites, and 4,980 wild trees have been transferred from the sites of state infrastructure projects to meadows that are being rehabilitated under expert supervision.

The post MoECC plans to rehabilitate 100 meadows in Qatar. appeared first on ByMENA.

The UAE commits USD30 billion to Alterra, a climate investment fund launched at the United Nation’s climate change conference (COP28), making it the largest private investment fund for climate change.

Alterra’s primary objective is to concentrate on climate investments in emerging markets and developing economies, studies have revealed that there is an increasing funding shortfall in these regions.

The World Bank estimates that the escalating disparity to finance the climate transition is equivalent to the gap between the USD100 billion per annum committed by donor countries and the more than USD2.4 trillion required yearly by 2030.

Alterra’s plan involves two sections, the first one with USD25 billion pledged to invest to accelerate the transformation to a net-zero climate-resilient economy.

The second part, with funding of USD5 billion, is designed to mitigate risk to further incentivize investments into the global south.

Quotes:

Majid Al Suwaidi, CEO of Alterra and Director-General of cop28 in a panel discussion said, “The fund aims to amass and distribute USD250 billion globally by 2030”.

Al Suwaidi added: “The vision for Alterra was borne out of the COP28 Presidency’s Action Agenda focus on how we can make climate finance more available, accessible and affordable for all, and remove barriers impeding investment – especially into the Global South. Alterra is a key element in the COP28 Presidential Action Plan to help drive climate investment to the solutions and markets where it is most needed.”

During the panel session, the following individuals participated: Dr. Mahmoud Mohieldin, Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund; Rajiv Dhar, Board Member of the National Infrastructure Investment Fund and Head of US India Green Fund; Arvind Ramamurthy, Chief Market Development Officer at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM); and Samir Suleymanov, Director of Finance at COP28.

The post Alterra Climate Fund to reach USD250 billion by 2030. appeared first on ByMENA.

ADNOC, the oil and gas company, has announced that it has generated $500 million (AED1.84 billion) in value by integrating over 30 Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools across its full value chain, from field operations to corporate decision-making.

This has also helped to reduce up to 1 million tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions between 2022 and 2023, which is equivalent to removing around 200,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road.

The company has been successful in integrating AI across its operations, including the use of AI applications in mapping subsurface resources, optimizing drilling, production activity, smarter reservoir management and in the Centralized Predictive Analytics and Diagnostics (CPAD) program, which remotely monitors critical operational equipment.

The use of AI has also helped in reducing the frequency of unplanned shutdowns and streamlined routine maintenance activities, while simultaneously improving operational efficiency.

AI is also supporting ADNOC’s net zero by 2045 ambition and its target to achieve near-zero methane emissions by 2030.

Tools like Emission X and SMART are being used to predict emission sources up to five years in advance and detect safety hazards across industrial and operational environments respectively.

ADNOC’s AI deployment has been a significant milestone in its strategy to develop and deploy pioneering technologies, such as AI, robotic automation, and advanced data analytics, and marks the start of a multi-year program to accelerate the deployment of AI solutions across its value chain to enhance safety while driving down emissions and driving up value.

The announcement was made at ADNOC’s Leadership Forum, where employees gathered to discuss strategic priorities and initiatives that will help the company deliver on its mandate to transform, decarbonize, and future-proof and ensure a secure, reliable, and responsible supply of energy.

The post ADNOC generated $500 million through AI solutions. appeared first on ByMENA.

The Electricity and Water Affairs Minister, Yasser Humaidan, and the Industry and Commerce Minister, Abdulla bin Adel Fakhro, were also present.

Shaikh Khalid was welcomed by Imerys Al Zayani’s board of directors chairman and Al Zayani Investments honorary board of directors chairman, Khalid Al Zayani, and Imerys CEO, Alessandro Dazza.

The Deputy Premier was briefed on the production process in the company’s factory, which specializes in the production of white and compact fused alumina and exports to more than 25 countries.

He emphasized the private sector’s role in enhancing environmental security and its efforts to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2035 and reach carbon neutrality by 2060, in line with the goals of the comprehensive development process led by His Majesty King Hamad and overseen by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, and Prime Minister.

Shaikh Khalid affirmed that the private sector is keen on countering environmental challenges and sustaining the environment and resources in line with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and the Government Plan (2023-2026) by focusing on energy sustainability, transitioning to it, and encouraging the national mix to be more renewable.

These efforts are guided by the National Renewable Energy Action Plan (NREAP) and the National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP), which are two of the main priorities overseen by the ministerial committee for development and infrastructure projects, Shaikh Khalid added.

The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the diversity of Bahrain’s industrial sector and efforts to direct capital into specific and advanced industries to achieve the Government’s Industrial Sector Strategy (2022-2026), which focuses on applying circular economy and environmental and social governance to raise the industrial sector’s contribution to the GDP, increase exports of national origin, and create new jobs.

Shaikh Khalid commended the partnership between Al Zayani Investments and Imerys, a French multinational company that specializes in the production and processing of industrial minerals.

He noted that their partnership was the result of the efforts of the Economic Development Board of Bahrain in promoting the kingdom’s role as a business-friendly environment and providing investment opportunities.

Mr Al Zayani said that with the installation of 8,600 solar panels, carbon emissions would be significantly reduced by 5,000 tonnes annually, which make up 15 percent of the company’s emissions.

The panels will also generate 25 percent of the company’s electricity consumption, he added.

The post Bahrain solar power plant commences operations appeared first on ByMENA.

Dubai Municipality has launched a new project as part of its efforts to enhance the city’s greenery. The project is focused on the intersection of Al Meydan and Al Khail Streets, which is at the center of Dubai. 

Covering an area of 302,266 square meters, this project demonstrates the Municipality’s commitment to expanding green spaces in the city and implementing beautification projects that improve its overall appearance.  

The project features advanced technologies employed by the Municipality to implement sustainable irrigation systems and water drainage. 

These systems include fully automated irrigation mechanisms that eliminate the need for human intervention. Furthermore, wind-resistant spraying techniques have been integrated, resulting in a water-saving of around 30%. 

The Municipality has implemented effective sustainable groundwater and rainwater drainage systems, especially during the recent rainfall. 

They have established a pumping station that can handle over 280 cubic meters per hour and a tank with a capacity of 1,000 cubic meters. To enhance the area’s beauty, the Municipality has installed multi-color linear lighting systems at the intersection.  

According to H.E. Al Hajri, the Municipality prioritizes the development of agricultural beautification projects. Their primary goal is to improve the vitality of Dubai with integrated world-class standards. They aim to foster sustainability in Dubai by implementing innovative irrigation technologies that rely on fully recycled water.  

Furthermore, the Municipality will plant ‘Chorisia’ trees (Chorisia Speciosa) at the intersection of Al Meydan and Al Khail Roads for the first time. This tree, which belongs to the mallow family, has a broad, swollen stem that serves as a water reservoir. It also has large pink-red flowers.  

Dubai Municipality carries out agricultural beautification projects that adhere to the highest global standards. These efforts integrate innovative design elements. employ cutting-edge irrigation techniques utilizing recycled water. The goal is to promote the sustainability of environmental resources. 

In 2023, the Municipality of Dubai successfully planted over 185,000 trees, achieving the objectives of the Green Dubai initiative. This accomplishment led to the addition of 234 hectares of green area in the city. 

It demonstrates Dubai Municipality’s commitment to afforestation, highlighting their dedication to expanding vegetation and improving the per capita allocation of green spaces. 

The post Agricultural beautification project taken by Dubai Municipality appeared first on ByMENA.

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy, has predicted that the UAE‘s economy will grow by up to 5% in 2024.

He made this statement during the third annual conference of Investopia, a global investment platform launched by the UAE government in September 2021.

The conference will take place on 28th and 29th of February in Abu Dhabi under the theme ‘Emerging Economic Frontiers: Investing in the New Economy Growth Sectors’.

According to the minister, more than 73% of the UAE’s national economy is now non-oil, which is a historic first for the country.

He believes this achievement reflects the confidence of the private sector and investors around the world in the UAE’s investment environment.

In his speech, the minister emphasized the role of the private sector in the new economic and investment landscape.

He also highlighted the UAE’s focus on sustainable and flexible economic sectors, including health technology, agriculture, education, financial services, artificial intelligence, and other sectors that contribute to the sustainability of economic sectors and enhance the strength of the national economy.

About Investopedia:

Founded in 1999, it aims to simplify financial decisions and information to give readers the confidence to manage aspects of their financial lives.

The website recently was awarded the 2022 Finance Content Marketing Award, 2021 Best in Business Award.

2020 Dotdash Named Publisher of The Year.

The post Economic growth in the UAE is expected to hit 5% in 2024. appeared first on ByMENA.

Majdool dates are bigger and can hold copper plates more easily, which is why they were the brand of choosing for this project.

A team of Emirati engineers and artists have developed a unique way to generate electricity by reimagining the traditional date fruit.

The fruit, known for its nutritional richness, has been transformed into a source of renewable power by extracting energy from its natural sugars.

At the Sikka Art and Design Festival, the team showcased their invention made with Majdool dates that can hold copper plates firmly.

The plates act as electrodes and are interconnected by a conductive metal wire, which completes the circuit, allowing the setup to generate a small amount of electricity.

The team used 20 dates for the model, creating a visually striking display. They believe that their project draws attention to the cultural significance of dates and emphasizes their value in Emirati traditions.

Dates have been an integral part of the Emirati culture for centuries, and this project aims to showcase their versatility and innovative use of dates.

The team hopes that by presenting their Electricity inducing project at the festival, they can raise awareness of the cultural significance of dates and promote sustainable energy solutions.

The installation not only generates electricity but also serves as a conversation starter about the importance of preserving cultural heritage and sustainable practices.

The post Electricity inducing Majdool dates, a new concept in the Emirates. appeared first on ByMENA.

information about Gas field:

According to a former adviser at the Saudi Oil Ministry, a significant discovery at one of Saudi Arabia’s largest gas fields is expected to boost the country’s revenues and transform it into a major gas exporter.

Oil company Saudi Aramco recently announced that it has increased its estimates of gas deposits in the Jafurah field in Eastern Saudi Arabia by almost 15 trillion cubic feet (tcf) to a total of nearly 229 trillion tcf.

Additionally, it reported an increase in condensates by almost two billion barrels to a total of 75 billion barrels at the field, which covers an area of nearly 17,000 sq km.

The discovery will help Saudi Arabia diversify its sources of income and energy, according to Mohammed Al-Sabban, a former adviser at the Oil Ministry.

He explained that this increase would allow the country to start exporting gas instead of consuming most of the production in local petrochemical units and other facilities.

Another well-known Saudi energy expert quoted by a Saudi Arabic language daily Asharq Alawsat suggested that the new addition could turn Saudi Arabia into the world’s third-largest gas producer within a few years.

He added that it would also support Saudi Arabia’s position as a pioneer in the global energy industry and turn Aramco into the largest integrated energy and petrochemicals company in the world.

Currently the highest producers of gas are the United States, Russia, Iran and Canada.

The post Gas Field discovered in Saudi Arabia by Saudi Aramco. appeared first on ByMENA.