During the fifth meeting of the ISA Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific Region in Abu Dhabi, a minister from the UAE highlighted the significance of renewables, especially solar energy, in facilitating the country’s energy transition.
The UAE considers solar energy to be a crucial element in its response to climate change and takes pride in hosting three of the world’s largest solar power plants, with numerous other large-scale projects in the pipeline.
The country’s energy sector has been actively working towards achieving Net Zero targets and implementing progressive climate actions. Recent updates to the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and the development of the National Hydrogen Strategy further bolster their commitment to meeting climate and net-zero goals by 2050.
The minister emphasized that both strategies will position the UAE at the forefront of the global energy transition and contribute to reducing emissions by 40% by 2030.
As the host of COP28, the UAE perceives the global energy transition as a central focus and aims to collaborate with all participants to triple renewable energy capacity and double hydrogen production by 2030. The meeting gathered international energy leaders to advance solar energy deployment, aligning with the vision of the COP28 Presidency.
The Director General of ISA highlighted the UAE’s affordable solar electricity and its potential to enable energy access for hard-to-reach populations, enhance energy security in developing economies, and accelerate global energy transitions.
With the cumulative solar PV installed capacity surpassing 1 terawatt and solar PV becoming the cheapest source of new electricity in many regions, the ISA emphasized the potential for increased solar deployment to drive further cost reductions.
