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Clean Energy Future: UAE Goes Nuclear | |
| Sumita Pawar |
The UAE is leading the way in the Middle East and North Africa region by actively utilising nuclear energy in its quest for net-zero emissions by 2050.
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The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) has signed Memoranda of Understanding with the China Nuclear Energy Industry Corporation and the China National Nuclear Corporation Overseas to bolster the UAE’s nuclear energy industry.
Barakah Plant to Reduce Carbon Emissions
The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is now connected to the grid, and once Unit 4 is completed, it is expected to supply 25% of the nation’s electricity, with Unit 3 already operational since February 2023.
The UAE government estimates that this will lead to an annual reduction of 21 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions, equivalent to removing 3.2 million cars from the roads.
Nuclear energy development is still in its infancy in the Middle East, with Iran, Turkey, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia all claiming nuclear ambitions.
Robert Mogielnicki, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington, believes that China’s involvement will play a crucial role in the UAE’s efforts to diversify away from oil.
As a major importer of Middle Eastern crude, China’s relationship with the region will undergo a transformation. Mogielnicki expects the UAE-China energy partnership to continue flourishing and benefit both parties economically.