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Green Projects, Decarbonization and Net Neutrality in the Middle East region | |
| Staff Writer |
Multiple international companies have been working as active contributors to create a formidable climate-change plan to further the sustainability ambitions ambitions.
In this interview, the Lead Project Manager for Siemens Energy, Shahid Raza throws light on the challenges on the Middle East’s sustainability agenda and what he believes is the future of the power industry in the Middle East. He talks about the current scenario and how long it will take to reach the target of a 100% solar powered city.
His vast experience has led him to lead a power giant like Siemens’ projects from the fore, contributing to Siemens' underlying concept of "Energise Society."
In this exclusive interview with Thirty to Net Zero, Raza Shahid. Raza talks about the pressures on the UAE on the background of the Russia-Ukraine war and its implications on the Middle East Region's energy demands as well as its commitment to the net-zero goal. He further talks about the plans Siemens has for the Middle East region and talks about Siemens Smart Building concept essential for smart cities. These powerful insights are a must-read for those part of the energy sector and those interested in the sustainability concept within this industry.
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Q: What is your definition of Sustainable smart cities and what are the parameters you would consider while rating a city sustainable?
A: A sustainable smart city is a city that develop smart technological infrastructure to deploy efficient and sustainable operations meeting most of its energy demands by utilizing renewable energy resources. Important parameters that can make a city smart and sustainable is its utilization of renewable energy efficiently by adopting smart digital technologies.
Q: Given the current scenario, how soon do you believe cities will go 100% solar powered?
A: That will still need some more time because solar power is not available during the night, and it needs batteries for power storage and its use during the night. I can see that most of the countries can achieve the target of going 100% solar by 2050.
Q: With the Russia-Ukraine war in the background, do you believe the dependence on oil will automatically put more pressure on the UAE?
A: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to sanctions against the Russian Federation, cutting off the world's second-largest oil producer from global supply chains resulting in a rise in oil prices.
The UAE is estimated to hold the seventh-largest proven oil and natural gas reserves globally. It produces an average of 3mn barrels of petroleum and liquids per day and has oil reserves of almost 100 billion barrels. There will be pressure on the UAE, especially after the statement of G-7 Energy Ministers that OPEC has a key role to play “in easing market tensions by boosting oil supplies” and UAE is one of the core members of OPEC.
Q: With the commitment to move to renewable energy to what extent do you think this will impact the non-renewable energy industry in the long term?
A: As you are aware Renewable energy sources are those that can be replenished quickly and are non-depletable such as solar, hydropower, and wind energies. Non-renewable energy sources are finite. If we continue to use them, at some point they will run out such as coal, natural gas etc.
In my opinion, it will take a long time to fully transfer from non-renewable to renewable energy because of the current requirement of power plants that are utilizing non-renewable fuels to produce high Power. Nevertheless, soon the world might lead to a balanced situation utilizing both energies to take the optimal power advantage.
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Q: Given that you are responsible for projects for Siemens, could you tell us what projects you would be working on that contributes to the net-zero economy in the foreseeable future that could accentuate the concept of Smart Cities?
A: Siemens Energy's direction towards a decarbonized and net-zero economy is clear. It is working towards this goal in the following ways:
We are contributing to lower down the energy consumption in the UAE by providing state-of-the-art technologies. The LEED Platinum-certified Siemens headquarter building In Abu Dhabi Masdar City is an amazing example of the same. It could reduce ~50% energy consumption as compared to a conventional SIEMENS building of its size. Lighting, cooling, and other building needs are automated using Siemens’ high-tech building automation technologies. It demonstrates how energy efficiency and quality design can offer huge benefits to the environment and to the personnel working in the building.
Further, we are also working on Smart Grid solutions and Green Hydrogen-based Power Generation which would facilitate decarbonization and climate-neutral operations in the future.
Q: Siemens is into designing and financing, building, and operating a modern smart grid. Could you tell us more and how can this impact the idea of sustainable smart cities?
A: As explained in earlier questions, Siemens's smart building concept was implemented in its state-of-the-art Headquarter building in Masdar City Abu Dhabi where its Energy Automation technology could be able to smartly use the energy in it and could be able to reduce almost 50% energy use.
Modern Smart Grid is an Electrical Grid with integrated Automation, Communication, and IT systems that can monitor power flows from points of generation to points of consumption (even down to appliances level) and provide perfect solutions according to the requirements of our customers.
The smart grid helps us manage our energy use to reduce energy waste, power outages, and greenhouse gas emissions in cities.
Q: How do these smart grids enable the economy of the UAE?
A: Smart Grid plays a vital role in UAE economy. It reduces electricity losses during transmission and distribution thus reduces electricity cost, meter reading cost, overall operations, and maintenance costs. It also minimizes the equipment failures due to automatic operation based on varying load conditions. Further, Smart grid brings great environmental benefits: reduced greenhouse gases, reduced burning of fossil fuels and enhanced integration of solar and wind power.
Q: What are the potential hurdles that you foresee in UAE’s plans of switching to a more circular economy?
A: Sustainable circular economy involves designing and promoting products that last and can be reused, repaired, and remanufactured. It keeps the functional value of products, rather than just recovering the energy or materials they contain and continuously making products anew.
It is particularly important how the UAE manages the resources, how they make and use products, and what they do with the materials afterward. In my opinion, the lack of waste treatment facilities, lack of recycling technologies will become the challenges for UAE in implementing the circular economy concept.
Q: Complex power infrastructures mean that there would be more dependence on oil. Is there an alternative way of creating projects that are in sync with the idea of sustainability to get more smart cities?
A: As discussed earlier, the use of renewable fuel is the key to sustainability. It is very crucial to design projects that can keep and re-utilize those fuels. Solar Power will be the key contributor in the same, which is adequately available in the UAE. Wind Power is also being used, mostly in Europe, where Siemens Wind Turbines are efficiently contributing to power generation.
Q: Solar power seems to be the road ahead for a lot of projects and is effectively one of the pillars of sustainability in cities. What are your thoughts on this?
A: This is quite true that Solar Power is the future road map, especially for Middle Eastern countries. However, in parallel, we need to think over the measures of saving Energy by implementing Smart Energy Automation systems and use of Green Hydrogen to reduce CO2 footprint.
Q: In the integrated power supply solutions, your catchphrase is “Power Matters.” How will Siemens use this power of influence-to-influence smaller players in the industry towards sustainability?
A: Being a Siemens family, we passionately believe that sustainable development can only be achieved through the cooperation of a diverse set of actors. Siemens always welcomes close collaboration and continuous dialog with different stakeholders to understand and tackle complex challenges.
We are committed to our purpose “We energize society”. Our vision is to become the most valued energy technology company in the world. To achieve this vision, we need to balance the varied interests of our diverse stakeholders, namely our customers, our investors, our partners, our employees, our families, and the societies in which we live. We are convinced that only by providing efficient, innovative, and world-leading technologies will we be able to fulfill the needs of our stakeholders which become the motivating and influencing factors as well.
Q: Finally, could you define your role in the energy industry, 10 years from now. How do you believe you will empower a green economy through your leadership?
A: Well, the road map is clear, but the journey is long. Siemens Energy is targeting to reduce carbon emissions by 25% by the year 2030 and align its projects and deliverables in this direction.
In the next 10 years, I will be looking for myself to be a part of a proud team that will be celebrating the above-mentioned success.