The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment has signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi's future energy company Masdar, and Sharjah-based Bee’ah for setting up a waste-to-energy conversion facility in the Northern Emirates of Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.

The move is another important step in the country’s journey towards achieving sustainability in line with the vison of the UAE’s wise leadership, reported state news agency Wam.

Saif Mohammed Al Shara, the assistant under-secretary for the external audit sector at the ministry, signed the deal with Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi and Bee'ah Group CEO Khaled Al Huraimel in the presence of Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.

This memorandum of understanding (MoU) comes as result of the keenness of the ministry to strengthen the existing strategic partnership with the concerned authorities in order to deal with the increasing developmental challenges and their management in a sustainable way, remarked Al Shara.

It also aims to achieve the National Agenda targets under the UAE Vision 2021, he added.

Under the terms of the agreement, the ministry will provide sole rights to Masdar and Bee’ah to implement and accomplish the required services for the preparation of an integrated study to develop and execute a multi-fuel commercial and traditional facility to convert waste into energy in Ras Al Khaimah.

"With the economic growth that the UAE has enjoyed over the past years, it is necessary for us to pursue responsible energy stewardship and diversify the region’s renewable energy portfolio to achieve sustainability benchmarks set in the UAE Vision 2021," noted Al Huraimel.

Optimising energy efficiency and maximising waste diversion from landfills, waste-to-energy projects hold great potential for the clean energy future of the UAE, he added.

"Partnering with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Bee’ah and Masdar will exert cumulative efforts, through the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, to study and develop waste-to-energy facilities in the Northern Emirates, while promoting the UAE’s overarching goal of diverting 75 per cent of its municipal solid waste away from landfill by 2021," said Al Ramahi.

A steering committee will be formed to discuss and take decisions with regard to the project study.