Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid reviews Dh4bn waste-to-energy project amid emirate's push for clean power
01 November, 2020
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, reviewed a Dh4 billion waste-to-energy project on Saturday and underscored the importance of clean energy sources for the emirate.
During his visit, Sheikh Mohammed was briefed on the Dubai Centre for Waste Processing project, a facility that produces energy by treating waste, according to a statement by the Dubai Media Office.
With a capacity to process 1.9 million tonnes of municipal solid waste each year, the plant will create 200 megawatts of energy annually - enough to power 135,000 homes.
The project can accommodate 1,000 garbage trucks each day, the statement added.
"Providing a clean environment reaches the heart of our efforts to advance development and provide a top quality of life both now and in the foreseeable future. We've adopted global best practices and implemented ground breaking projects to preserve the environment and protect medical and safety of individuals in the UAE,” Sheikh Mohammed said.
The comments came during a review of Dubai Municipality’s environmental and sustainability projects being developed at a price of Dh6.6bn.
The plant, among the largest on the globe when it comes to waste processing capacity, will operate with no negative impact on the environment and will be capable of processing 5,666 tonnes of municipal solid waste each day.
Located in the Warsan area of Dubai, the first phase of the project will be completed in 2023 and the whole project will be completed in 2024.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, president of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, chairman of Dubai Airports and Emirates, attended the project review.
Intended to serve Dubai's current and future waste management and green energy requirements, the project contains a waste weighing unit, 15 reception points, five furnaces, a steam and power generation zone, 10,000 gas processing units, 27 gates and a zone for extracting metal from incinerated waste.
Dubai aims to create 25 % of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050 within its clean energy drive.
The UAE is likely to meet a lot more than 50 per cent of its power needs from renewable sources by 2050 due to the addition of nuclear and solar powered energy to grid, Awaidha Al Marar, the chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy said in September.
The country aims to achieve at least half of its energy needs from clean energy sources by 2050.
The UAE is diversifying its energy mix, adding solar and nuclear sources to its grid, as it looks to free up crude for export.
The country in addition has ramped up nationwide efforts to increase its renewable energy capacity at a time of record low oil prices.
Earlier this year, the UAE linked Unit 1 of the Barakah nuclear power plant to grid, with the plant currently operating at 50 per cent capacity.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com
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