International Renewable Energy Agency Director-General Francesco La Camera has praised the United Arab Emirates for emerging as a key global player in advancing renewable energy deployment and international energy cooperation through large-scale investments in solar power, battery storage technologies, and energy infrastructure.
Speaking to Emirates News Agency, La Camera stated that the UAE, as the host country of IRENA, has consistently supported international collaboration and dialogue on renewable energy while helping mobilise financing and partnerships for clean energy projects in emerging and developing economies.
He noted that the UAE has played a major role in shifting the global conversation from questioning whether renewable energy can scale to focusing on how rapidly deployment can be accelerated worldwide.
La Camera highlighted the UAE’s continued domestic investments in renewable energy capacity, green hydrogen, and low-carbon industrial development. He identified the Al Dhafra Round-The-Clock project developed by Masdar in Abu Dhabi as a leading example of integrated renewable energy infrastructure combining large-scale solar power generation with significant battery storage capacity.
According to him, the project represents a global model for delivering reliable 24/7 renewable energy supply and demonstrates how renewable-based systems can support future energy security and grid stability.
Commenting on the outcomes of the 31st Council meeting of IRENA, La Camera said member countries acknowledged that the global energy transition is entering a new phase, with increasing emphasis on energy security, electrification, and economic competitiveness.
Discussions during the meeting focused on accelerating renewable energy deployment while strengthening grid infrastructure, storage systems, digitalisation, and regional cooperation to address growing electricity demand in a reliable and affordable manner.
La Camera stated that member nations also exchanged strategies for scaling clean energy investment and implementing infrastructure planning to support the electrification of sectors including transport, industry, buildings, and digital services.
He further warned that geopolitical tensions, rising energy demand, and fossil fuel market volatility continue to expose weaknesses in existing energy systems. According to IRENA, electrification will become the next major phase of the global energy transition, with global electricity usage expected to rise from around 20% of total energy consumption today to nearly 35% by 2035 and more than 50% by 2050.
Discover more from SolarQuarter
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
