Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) said it has signed an co-operation agreement with the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) for a major international knowledge project setting out the means to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030.

 

The main objective of the project is to establish a global baseline for renewable energy, with a focus on solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, and other technologies including battery storage, complemented by region-specific data.

 

During the UAE Climate Tech Forum in Abu Dhabi, Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi and Irena Deputy Director-General Gauri Singh have signed a MoU to collaborate on a project for COP28 that will outline global targets for renewable energy by 2030.

 

It was signed in the presence of Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar, and COP28 President-Designate; and Dr Nawal Al Hosany, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena).

 

Dr Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President-Designate, said: "The world needs to commit to tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 and to double it again by 2040."

 

In the 17 years since the UAE leadership established Masdar in 2006, the cost of a kilowatt hour of solar energy has plummeted to under 2 cents and we need to harness this pioneering spirit of innovation now more than ever, he stated. 

 

Masdar has already committed to growing its total capacity five-fold to 100GW by the end of the decade and this joint research project with Irena will emphasize the vital role of renewable energy in limiting global warming when the world comes together at COP28, he added.

 

Irena Director-General Francesco La Camera said: "The transition to renewables provides a sustainable and affordable solution to many of the challenges we face today, and we have the technology to deploy at speed and scale. In 2022, a record 300 gigawatts (GW) of renewables were added and renewable power now accounts for 40% of total installed generation capacity globally."

 

"Despite this progress, the energy transition is off track. IRENA's World Energy Transitions Outlook indicates that the deployment of renewables must reach 1000 GW annually to keep the 1.5°C target alive," he stated.

 

La Camera said the project will also highlight the challenges faced by different regions in meeting their renewable energy ambitions and provide recommendations for action, particularly in the context of COP28. 

 

The recent Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin concluded with a clear consensus for cuts in global emissions and a global, binding target for the expansion of renewables, he stated.

 

Established in 2006, Masdar is the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse, active in over 40 countries across the globe, and has invested in a portfolio of renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of around 20 gigawatts (GW).-TradeArabia News Service