The UAE’s Waste-to-Energy Program Could Save the Environment
From scorching wildfires to rising sea levels, the consequences of climate change are becoming more apparent every day. Policymakers and scientists are now grappling with how to slow the expansion of climate change, and in this scramble, renewable energy has emerged as a credible mitigation method. Research has shown that renewable energy offers numerous benefits, including reducing greenhouse gases and decreasing air pollution. As a result, governments around the world are working to develop and introduce technologies and strategies that incorporate renewable energy. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is one such nation. Over the past several years, the country has launched numerous waste to energy plants. These plants burn energy-rich materials such as paper, plastics, yard waste, and wood products commonly found in the garbage to generate electricity or heat. As the Gulf country continues this program, it will enhance environmental protection and sustainability in the Emirates, enable fuel diversification, strengthen energy security, and reduce oil spills and imported fuel. Should it prove successful, the UAE’s program, especially its efforts in Dubai, could also serve as a model for other countries in the region to adopt.
Developing and expanding clean energy sources is a critical component of the Emirates’ blueprint for the future. It aims to produce at least half of its energy requirements from clean energy sources by 2050. The UAE Government’s Vision 2021 also included targets to divert waste from landfills by 75% by 2021. To achieve and build on these goals, the country has invested significantly in launching clean energy efforts across the country, including solar, wind, nuclear, and waste-to-energy projects. Waste-to-energy plants are considered more stable energy sources than wind and solar projects, as the latter two depend on weather conditions for their success. As a result, the government has expanded waste-to-energy plants across the country, including in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah.
In the capital, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (Taqa) and the Center of Waste Management (Tawdeer) are developing a 100 MW facility. The plant is expected to generate sufficient power for 20,000 households in Abu Dhabi and decrease carbon dioxide emissions by over one million tons per year. The plant will be one of the biggest waste-to-energy facilities in the world.
The Emirati government is also particularly emphasizing the development of waste-to-energy plants in Dubai as part of its efforts to make it the most sustainable and smart city in the world. The vibrant city is also attempting to generate 25% of its energy from renewable energy sources by 2030 and 75% by 2050. In December, Japanese trading house Itochu and Japanese engineering company Hitachi Zosen finalized a plan to build and operate a 200-megawatt waste-to-energy plant in Dubai. The planned facility will cost approximately $1.16 billion and is slated to generate power for 140,000 households and process 6,000 tons of trash per day, with an annual capacity of half of the city’s waste, or 1.9 million tons. The facility is projected to begin operating in 2024, and it will be one of the largest waste-to-energy plants in the world.
The Middle East is one of the world’s top oil-producing regions, and countries such as the UAE have relied on cheap natural gas and oil for power for decades. The nation’s decision to prioritize clean energy sources demonstrates its recognition of the growing effects and economic cost of climate change. The UAE is also the prime location for the expansion of waste-to-energy efforts, as the majority of the country’s household trash is disposed of in landfills, providing a vast supply of generation material. By burning this material in waste-to-energy plants, the government can decrease the amount of material buried in landfills, which would subsequently emit methane. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, this process can reduce the volume of waste by approximately 87%.
The adoption of waste-to-energy techniques to generate electricity also supports the country’s desire to diversify its energy sources, wean off its reliance on oil trade, and strengthen its energy security. A decreased reliance on oil will also require less fuel to be imported, reducing the risks of oil leaks and spills, which are incredibly hazardous for the environment and occur relatively often. Given the recent record-low oil prices over the past few months, breaking the country’s oil dependence is also a strategic economic move.
As countries around the world struggle to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change, initiatives such as energy-to-waste projects hold significant potential for promoting environmental protection and sustainability. The UAE’s adoption of waste-to-energy techniques is part and parcel of its clean energy and sustainable development goals for the future. If successful, the country’s methods–especially those being implemented in Dubai–can be mirrored by other nations to save the environment.
Source: middleeastheadlines
