Dubai Municipality announced the completion of its biogas-to-energy project at its Warsan Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project is one of the municipality’s renewable energy initiatives that supports its strategic plan to transform its assets into green sustainable assets.
The biogas power facility has the capacity to generate 44,250 MWh of electricity annually. The project’s daily power generation capacity of 6MW will cover 50 per cent of the Warsan Wastewater Treatment Plant’s entire operational needs.
The municipality completed the project in partnership with the private sector, in line with the directives of the Dubai Government to foster productive private-sector partnerships that generate effective solutions for energy needs. The project will contribute to providing sustainable solutions by utilising alternative energy sources, further reducing annual carbon emissions by 31,000 tonnes, in addition to decreasing the plant’s operational cost by Dh320 million over 25 years.
Dawoud Al Hajri, Director-General of Dubai Municipality, said: “The biogas project is one of Dubai Municipality’s key initiatives aimed at generating renewable energy from sustainable and clean resources in partnership with the private sector. The project reflects the municipality’s commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, in line with the announcement of 2023 by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, as the ‘Year of Sustainability’. The project is also aligned with the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.”
He added: “By enabling the plant to support itself with the power required for its operations, the initiative serves the major pillars of Dubai Municipality’s strategy such as the circular economy and sustainability, in addition to raising the cost-effectiveness of its operations. This reflects the municipality's strategy for implementing innovative and environmentally friendly projects. The plant also embodies the civic body’s commitment to implementing projects and adopting solutions that promote sustainability in Dubai and support its vision to be the world’s best city to live in.”
The Warsan Wastewater Treatment Plant produces 57,000 cubic metres of biogas per day as a result of its treatment procedures. Through the biogas power project, approximately 54,800 cubic metres per day will be used to produce 121 MWh of electricity. The project stands out for having fully automated operations with more than 350 tools that continuously monitor operations 24/7.
The plant is supported by Dubai’s extensive sewerage system, whose network connections span more than 3 million metres in length and contain 56 rainwater pumping stations in addition to 110 substations and 13 main pumping stations. The system also contains two wastewater treatment facilities, one in Warsan with a daily capacity of up to 325,000 cubic metres and another in Jebel Ali with a daily capacity of up to 675,000 cubic metres.
Source: Khaleej Times
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), welcomed a high-level delegation from Huawei Middle East headed by Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East and Central Asia, to promote the strategic partnership between DEWA and Huawei.
The partnership has resulted in significant achievements over the past years in digital transformation, exchanging the best international solutions, experiences and practices, especially in innovation, disruptive technologies, smart grids, digital transformation, automation, cloud platforms, Artificial Intelligence, data security, and big data management, among others.
The cooperation between the two sides aims to develop new technologies and solutions to enhance efficiency and sustainability in the electricity and water sectors, improve user experience and provide more efficient, safe and sustainable services.
The partnership between DEWA and Huawei also includes several future projects such as Big Data Management, Perimeter and ICT Infrastructure Security, Cyber Security, and Information Security, among others. A joint team has been established to launch pilot programmes using the latest technologies to develop new initiatives. These include Research and Development, new services for customers, and ready-to-market or immediately actionable vital initiatives.
Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s plans that are aligned with promising government strategies and plans, including the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which aims to develop an integrated system that employs AI in key areas in the UAE; the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global hub towards achieving a competitive national economy that is based on knowledge, innovation and future technological applications.
During the meeting, Al Tayer discussed the progress of the joint projects between the two sides. These include Moro’s green data centres. Moro is a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA. In February 2023, the world’s largest solar-powered data centre, recognised by the Guinness World Records, was inaugurated. The facility is located at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world. Using 100% renewable energy, the Uptime TIER III-Certified data centre, has a capacity exceeding 100 megawatts (MW). Its area will exceed 16,000 square metres.
“DEWA represents two of UAE’s key priorities, digital transformation and sustainability. The company’s investment in ICT infrastructure powered by renewable energy establishes the company not just as a leader in digital transformation in the utility sector but also as a trailblazer in energy transition. We at Huawei are aligned with these objectives and are proud to partner with DEWA in their development of eco-friendly ICT infrastructure. Green and low carbon ICT infrastructure enables each watt to support more computing power and connections enabling DEWA to create new value and deliver first-class customer experience,” said Steven Yi.
The green data centre offers digital products and services using Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, such as cloud services, the Internet of Things (IoT) and AI. It enables global hyper-scalers to access carbon-free computing.
The meeting was attended by Marwan bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future at DEWA, Mohammad bin Sulaiman, CEO of Data Hub Integrated Solutions (Moro), and Rashid Alahmedi, Chief Operating Officer of InfraX.
Source: ZAWYA
The Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) has entered into a strategic partnership with Polygreen, a global leader in circular economy solutions.
Through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the two organisations will work together to explore opportunities to achieve zero waste, circular economy and sustainability in the UAE, Greece, and beyond.
In addition to exchanging knowledge and best practices, they will collaborate on high-profile global events such as COP28, UN events, and Delphi Economic Forum. The partnership will also explore harnessing Polygreen’s “Just Go Zero” model in Abu Dhabi, which focuses on engaging with local stakeholders, to achieve zero waste in the Emirate.
The MoU follows the agreement signed last year between the UAE and Greece, during the visit of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, to Abu Dhabi. The MoU centres on establishing an investment framework worth 4 billion Euros, between ADQ and both of the Hellenic Development Bank (HDB), the national development bank of Greece, and Hellenic Development Bank of Investments (HDBI).
Ali Al Dhaheri, Chief Executive Officer of Tadweer, said, “We are thrilled to announce our new partnership with Polygreen, which will be instrumental in helping us achieve our shared goal of a sustainable future. This collaboration marks a critical milestone in our journey towards a circular economy and a zero-waste Abu Dhabi. We value the exchange of best practices with international organisations such as Polygreen, to help us identify innovative ways to promote sustainable practices and reduce our environmental footprint."
Athanasios Polychronopoulos, Founder and Chairman of Polygreen, stated, “On this significant day, we are thrilled to witness our vision for a Zero Waste Planet extending beyond our national borders. About a year ago, Polygreen accomplished a remarkable feat by implementing the Just Go Zero initiative, which turned a Greek Island into a zero waste destination. Today, we join forces with Tadweer, to establish a robust circular economy operator in the Middle East, starting with a mission to make Abu Dhabi the first Zero Waste Emirate. This partnership paves the way for the reduction of greenhouse emissions and the transition to sustainable development.”
Source: ZAWYA
Oman Cables Industry (OCI), leading company in the cables and systems industry which is part of Prysmian Group, visited Fujairah Gold, Vedanta Group, to strengthen its partnership towards sustainable goals.
The two Companies, represented by Cinzia Farise’, CEO of Oman Cables, and Puneet Khurana, CEO of Fujairah Gold, signed a Collaboration Agreement at the presence of H.E. Sharief Habib Al Awadhi Director General of Fujairah Free Zone Authority, Guest of Honor, with the scope to explore potential opportunities in different areas of collaboration: from jointly develop green copper rod from 100% secondary copper, to establish acceptability of Green Copper rod for cable manufacturing and jointly develop a value proposition for Green Copper to achieve sustainability goals and support Net Zero Carbon targets by 2050.
OCI’s "Innovation for Sustainability" approach has three fundamental principles and ambitions: environmental, social and innovation responsibility. The company believes in minimizing its environmental impact and has established a set of guiding criteria that directs its innovation efforts involving all value chain, from upstream - through responsible sourcing - to downstream, partnering up with Customers to reduce losses during use phase.
This requires the adoption of a design for sustainability approach that includes strict criteria on carbon footprint, potential recyclability, hazardous substances, recycle input rate, transmission efficiency and environmental benefits in all products and new technologies. By prioritizing these criteria, OCI can develop products that are eco-friendly, energy-efficient and cost-effective, enabling Customers to choose greener options.
After a recent successful Innovation Day titled “Powering a Sustainable Future” conducted together with all Customers across the GCC Region, OCI is now focusing a responsible sourcing. Cinzia Farisè, CEO Oman Cables, said: “We are embarking on a transformational journey. Our ambition towards sustainability requires a joint effort with all our key stakeholders. While pursuing our net zero ambition, we must partner with the best ESG providers who embrace our same values and commitment to sustainability”.
Puneet Khurana, CEO of Fujairah Gold concluded: “Vedanta is committed to delivering sustainable and responsible growth, which creates value for both our shareholders and all our stakeholders. We proactively engage to incorporate sustainability in all our practices, Embracing the philosophy of `Zero Harm, Zero Waste, Zero Discharge. We are very happy to associate with Oman Cables, Prysmian group and will work closely with them to pursue our net Zero ambition.”
Source: ZAWYA
In alignment with its duty to develop solutions and regulations to combat climate change, enhance air quality, and safeguard the environment, the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment issued Decree No. (138) of 2023. This decree pertains to regulating the use and distribution of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in the country, aiming to control their circulation and prevent their emission into the atmosphere.
This decree is established within the context of the Year of Sustainability, aligning with the UAE's preparations to host the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) this year. Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), often referred to as refrigerant gases, are classified among greenhouse gases that intensify global warming and affect the ozone layer. Hence, this decree is a significant step in the UAE's endeavor to uphold its obligations towards climate change mitigation and curbing harmful emissions.
The regulations outlined in this decision are applicable across the UAE, encompassing all free zones and entities engaged in HFC-related activities. As per the decision, all such establishments must adhere to several procedures. These include registering with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, providing the establishment's commercial or industrial license, obtaining a warehouse license, and reporting the annual quantities of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) imported over the past three years.
Moreover, they must secure a permit from the ministry to manufacture, import, export, re-export, or transit HFCs or recycled or reclaimed materials derived from HFCs, following all necessary approvals from local authorities.
The decree also stipulates that establishments must submit to the ministry quarterly reports detailing the quantities of hydrofluorocarbons sold, utilized, and remaining in stock. They also need to secure prior consent from the relevant authority when disposing of waste hydrofluorocarbons and equipment containing them. For transboundary disposals, establishments must adhere to the obligations of the signatory nations under the Basel Convention, which governs the control of cross-border movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal.
This decree aligns with the UAE's commitments under the Vienna Convention and the Montreal Protocol concerning substances that deplete the ozone layer. Since joining the Convention in 1989 and the Protocol in 1990, the UAE has been at the forefront of efforts to restore the ozone layer's protective capacity against harmful ultraviolet rays that affect human health and the environment.
Cooling systems account for 7% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and projections suggest a significant increase in these emissions by 2050 due to the escalating average temperature of the Earth.
The measures adopted under this new law concentrate on establishing legislation and guidelines to regulate the use of ozone-depleting substances and monitor their import and export. Through its unaided efforts, the UAE has successfully met its commitments to completely prohibit chlorofluorocarbons and halons by the prescribed deadline in 2010.
Moreover, the nation is progressively phasing out the use of HFCs in compliance with the quotas and timelines established at the nineteenth meeting of the Parties, intending to ban them entirely by 2040.
Source: ZAWYA
Dubai has announced the commencement of a trial for autonomous electric abras in its city waters.
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has initiated the trial operation of the first self-driving electric abras, designed to accommodate eight passengers. Manufactured locally at the RTA’s Al Garhoud Marine Maintenance Centre, these abras feature a design that preserves the heritage identity of traditional abras.
The inaugural journey of the autonomous electric abra took place from Al Jaddaf Station to the Festival City Station on Dubai Creek. Mattar Al Tayer, Director General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at RTA, emphasised that the operation of the Autonomous Electric Abra aligns with the Dubai Strategy for Self-Driving Transport.
The strategy aims to transform 25% of Dubai’s mobility journeys into self-driving journeys by 2030. Additionally, it contributes to Dubai’s master plan to reduce carbon emissions from public transport, as mandated by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
The Autonomous Electric Abra boasts several noteworthy features, including zero carbon emissions, a 30% reduction in operating and maintenance costs compared to diesel-powered models, and noise elimination. Equipped with two electric motors capable of reaching a maximum speed of seven knots, it operates autonomously through an autonomous control system and four lithium batteries that provide a seven-hour operating time.
Zero carbon emissions
The design of the Autonomous Electric Abra incorporates new technologies, such as fiberglass in the hull, to reduce weight. During the trial run, it achieved Level 4 out of the six levels of international autonomy for ship design and operation. The trials, conducted in collaboration with Exalto Emirates and Marakeb companies, involved fully autonomous procedures, independent of the captain who acted as the operation supervisor only when necessary.
These autonomous procedures ensure adherence to the predetermined route, considering the impact of waves and wind. They also involve obstacle detection, system defect or deviation notification to the control centre, intervention in the presence of obstacles, and programming of additional scenarios to handle unexpected situations.
RTA plans to further develop automated anchoring operations and decision-making scenarios during manoeuvring and emergencies. The goal is to reach Level 5 autonomy and collaborate with the Dubai Maritime City Authority in establishing legislation for autonomous marine vehicles.
As part of its marine transport development master plan, RTA aims to enhance the capacity of traditional abra stations in Dubai Creek, including Bur Dubai, Deira Old Souk, Dubai Old Souk, and Al Sabkha.
The plan involves utilizing advanced technologies to reduce maintenance costs, extend asset lifespan, improve station and marina lighting, and provide customer facilities and investment areas. In 2022, marine transport served approximately 16 million passengers, highlighting its significance in achieving smooth mobility within the Emirate of Dubai.
Source: Construction Week Middle East
AIQ, an Abu Dhabi-based company focused on driving the artificial intelligence (AI)-powered transformation of the energy sector, and Beeah Group, the region’s sustainability pioneer, have announced their collaboration to propel the UAE’s sustainability agenda forward in alignment with the government’s vision and COP28 goals.
The agreement underscores AIQ and Beeah Group’s unwavering commitment to boosting sustainability across sectors and industries by leveraging future technologies such as AI.
The entities will collaborate on AI-driven opportunities in waste management, renewable energy, transportation and jointly explore new ways to drive value creation in the areas of sustainability and new energy.
The collaboration was sealed with the signing of a MoU at the Climate Tech Forum, held in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of Omar Al Marzooqi, the Chief Executive of AIQ, and Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Beeah.
Al Marzooqi said the UAE’s vision to become a global hub for climate action and impactful change is inspiring collective action, which AIQ is committed to, and now, we are incredibly excited to join forces with Beeah Group and expand our offerings beyond the energy sector.
"Their commitment to sustainability aligns with our mission to leverage cutting-edge technologies to develop game-changing solutions, power the progress of energy and drive growth across industries. This partnership represents a significant step in our shared vision for a sustainable future, and we look forward to what we will accomplish together," he stated.
Al Huraimel said: "Driven by the pillars of sustainability and digitalization, BEEAH Group is redefining industries to be future-ready. Our businesses have demonstrated that technologies not only enable us to drive towards sustainability targets, but also achieve commercial success."
"We are excited to partner with AIQ to further explore new avenues for AI-based technological development, create new business efficiencies, and achieve greater targets to support the UAE’s sustainability agenda," he added.
Source: Gulf Daily News
Partially used and discarded soaps from the UAE hotels will now be hygienically recycled into new bars and redistributed to the underprivileged, in an effort to promote sanitation and help the needy.
To combat hotel waste, Goumbook which is a social enterprise dedicated to promoting sustainable living has launched a new campaign Unisoap UAE, after collaborating with France-based non-profit company Unisoap (parent company).
This effort will allow circularity to hotel soap bars, reducing waste, supporting hygiene in vulnerable communities and increasing employability in the waste sector.
Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Managing Director and Founder of Goumbook, says, “In terms of waste, the first message we always convey is reduction. Another important thing is to look at waste as a resource, to be able to convert it into something valuable. We've done this with other campaigns as well, like how we convert a cigarette box into construction material. In this case, we understand Dubai is a tourist destination, and has hundreds of hotels. They consume a lot of amenities and one of them is soap. We have millions of soaps that go to landfills on a yearly basis worldwide.”
It is also explained that the soaps that are collected from one hotel will be kept together to keep their fragrances and their properties intact, after which it’ll be melted and formed into a new soap.
“This new soap will be distributed locally to communities in need. Apart from distributing these in labour camps, it can also be sold to families at a subsidized cost and sent to different charities. We also want to partner with humanitarian organisations to send soaps to refugee camps. One of our main goals is to also raise awareness about the importance of washing your hands. Around the world we have millions of people dying, because of the lack of knowledge on basic sanitation. So, this will hopefully have a social impact and raise awareness about the importance of hygiene.”
“We’ve had some people/hotels signing the letter of intent. We've already got some soap from one hotel, and it is being transformed. We'll have the first soap ready next month,” she adds.
With the operating unit, located in Dubai Silicon Oasis, in the first year, a minimum of 10 hotels will become a part of this initiative, each with an average of 500 rooms.
“This is incredible because Unisoap in France usually deals with smaller hotels with 50 rooms. The interesting part is that the volumes are totally different from Europe. Here the operation is massive, and the hotels are really big. So, for each hotel, it's a lot of rooms,” she adds.
The initiative also aligns with DET’s 19 Sustainability Requirements for hotels, focused on promoting green practices throughout the hospitality industry.
Meanwhile, senior officials from Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) hailed the efforts of local companies to develop the UAE as a sustainable travel destination.
Yousuf Lootah, Acting CEO of Corporate Strategy and Performance sector, Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism said, “Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) is pleased to have supported Goumbook for a successful, thought-provoking Think Tank, which focused on responsible and sustainable tourism. DET is committed to ensuring sustainability in the tourism sector by working with communities and engaging residents in protecting the environment, partnering with hotels to promote sustainable practices, highlighting Dubai's natural beauty and biodiversity, and creating more opportunities for people to use public transportation.”
Source: Nandini Sircar, Khaleej Times
ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, has successfully rescued and distributed one million meals to the underprivileged during the Holy Month of Ramadan in collaboration with MBRGI's UAE Food Bank.
This achievement was made possible through the joint efforts of various partners in the public and private sectors in the UAE, showcasing the values of philanthropy, giving, and social responsibility during the holy month.
The initiative aimed to reduce food waste and manage surplus food by recycling inedible food in line with ne’ma's objectives and its "Food Rescue" programme during Ramadan.
In February, ne’ma signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UAE Food Bank to launch joint initiatives to achieve the country's food waste reduction goals by collaborating with all stakeholders in the Food Rescue Working Group.
The initiative aims to make a significant impact in reducing food loss and waste and achieving a sustainable circular economy.
Later on, both parties signed a Sponsorship Agreement whereby ne’ma supported the UAE Food Bank’s initiative to rescue one million meals of surplus food, in line with their similar food waste reduction activations during Ramadan.
The agreement reflected both parties’ commitment to the national Food Rescue programme launched by ne’ma, which necessitates nationwide involvement, reiterating both parties’ pledge to honour the directives of the UAE’s government and overall strategy in halving food loss and waste by 2030.
Ahmed Taleb Al Shamsi, CEO of the Emirates Foundation, and “ne’ma” National Steering Committee Deputy, stated, “We are proud to sponsor this key initiative of One Million Surplus Meals during the Holy Month of Ramadan as a national partnership and an enabler of the national goal of halving food loss and waste by 2030. These collaborative efforts we have witnessed during the Holy Month of Ramadan, stand as a testament to the genuine embodiment of ne’ma’s vision, in engaging major stakeholders nationwide, toward reducing food loss and waste. We are glad to have brought together various governmental entities and privately operating stakeholders, along with hospitality and catering sectors to make food waste reduction a consistent and inclusive national effort to achieve the ultimate elimination of food waste, self-reliance, and sustainable circular economy.”
“We are also delighted by our continuous cooperation with the UAE Food Bank, which is the key driver to realise these objectives as per the agreed plan and to make a positive impact towards rescuing food and recycling food waste,” added Ahmed Taleb Al Shamsi.
Manal bin Yaarou, Head of Operating and Managing Emirates Food Bank Committee, stated, “It was a pleasure to work together this year with ne’ma - the National Food Loss and Waste initiative, to achieve our joint objective in reducing food waste, as we put our extensive experience to use with the other partners within the overarching national goal that ne’ma seeks to achieve. We are proud of what has been achieved by recycling and diverting about than 908,145 Kilograms of food from landfill during the holy month, resulting in more than one million three hundred and fifty meals (surplus) being saved and provided to those in need in the country. In addition to segregating and recycling around 367,409.00 Kilogrammes of food unfit for human consumption in the event of damage from the source , it led to converting it into the equivalent of 73,482 Kilogrammes of oils and organic fertiliser, with the aim of preserving the environment and sustainability, as local farms in the country benefit from it.
Through this initiative, we managed to prevent more than 2,306,687 Kilogrammes of carbon emissions equivalent to planting 96,112 trees, contributing to combating the ever-discerning climate change.”
“We were also glad to work with other stakeholders in the hospitality and hotel sectors as we provided them with comprehensive technical solutions, training and awareness on effective ways to recycle food waste, segregation and recycling requirements, and how to prepare daily reporting on the environmental footprint and community economy using an application run by Reloop,” added Manal bin Yaarou.
Source: Muhammad Aamir / Hazem Hussein, Emirates News Agency (WAM)
A new project announced on Sunday will see thousands of mangrove trees planted in the UAE. The Today for Tomorrow: National Day Mangrove Project will begin with planting 10,000 mangrove trees.
These 10,000 saplings were featured in the stunning 51st National Day show the UAE hosted on December 2, 2022. The initiative comes as UAE celebrates 2023 as the Year of Sustainability.
According to the organising committee of the 51st National Day Celebrations, the project aims to fulfil the UAE’s pledge made at COP27 to plant 100 million mangroves by 2030. The initiative seeks to restore and enhance the mangrove forests along the UAE’s coasts.
Everyone that calls the UAE home, from nature and planting enthusiasts to environmentalists, is invited to join the collective efforts that will begin on Thursday, May 11, at 10am in Yas Beach, Abu Dhabi. Interested volunteers can register through uaetreeplanting.com
Mangroves are a vital part of the UAE’s ecosystem, protecting the country’s coasts from rising sea levels and storm surges, and providing critical habitats for biodiversity. They act as the ‘green lung’ of the land.
These unique trees are known for their ability to sequester carbon and effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions, making them an essential tool in the fight against climate change. Beyond their environmental benefits, mangroves are a rich source of food for numerous species and provide vital habitats for wildlife.
According to the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the country is home to 60 million mangroves that form forests spanning 183 square kilometres and capture 43,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.
The UAE had stepped up its ambition to expand its mangrove cover by raising the planting target from 30 million to 100 million by 2030. With the additional 100 million trees planted, the UAE’s mangrove forests will cover 483 square kilometres and sequester nearly 115,000 tons of CO2 per year.
Earlier this year, the President, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, announced that 2023 would be the 'Year of Sustainability'. It aims to promote the nation's deeply-rooted value of sustainability to encourage sustainable behavior change and work towards a more sustainable and thriving UAE.
It draws on the UAE's heritage to inspire sustainable practices and collective action, bringing together everyone that calls the UAE home.
Source: ZAWYA
