Bahrain aims to double renewable energy targets to reach its goal of 20 per cent of the total energy mix by 2035. This was revealed by the Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs, Yaser bin Ebrahim Humaidan at the World Utility Congress (May 8-10) held at Abu Dhabi.
Speaking at the Congress, he said, “We are targeting net zero by 2060, 30 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035, doubling renewable energy targets to achieve 20 per cent of the energy mix by 2035 and doubling the afforestation areas in Bahrain.”
Bahrain is also among the GCC countries that is steadily moving towards renewable energy production to reduce emissions and become net zero in the coming decades.
He pointed out further that Bahrain is progressing in a number of areas to reach its net-zero target by 2060.
“We have engaged with several of the large industrial emitters and we have implemented a system of continuous emissions monitoring where we can monitor their emissions remotely, continuously and in real-time,” he said. “And that also enables us to have the ability to immediately detect any violations and take corrective action,” noted he.
Humaidan stressed on the need of collaboration between the private and public sector to achieve net-zero targets.
Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said, “There should be “mega investments” in the interconnection of the grid for the full utilisation of power, as the Gulf countries step up investment in boosting renewable energy capacity.There is an idle capacity that is not utilised and interconnecting within the Middle East and within the Arab world, and hopefully, North to Central Asia one day is going to enable us to be more efficient … and enable us also to do more projects as some [countries] have access to wind, others have to access to solar and others have access to hydro.”
“In order to get to the transition that we need to get to net zero by 2050, it’s going to be important that we replace unabated retiring and retired coal plants.This may require building out another 100 gigawatts or 200 new gigawatts of nuclear power in the United States,” he remarked.
It is reported that UAE is investing Dh600 billion ($163.5 billion) in clean and renewable energy projects in the approaching years over the next three decades to reach its goal of net zero emissions by 2050. As a step towards it, the country is building the world’s largest solar plant in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi with a capacity of 2 gigawatts and also the well known the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park in Dubai with a 5 gigawatt capacity.
