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Abu Dhabi becomes world’s clean energy hub

DUBAI: Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is set to become the international hub for dissemination of clean energy technology after the city was elected as headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a grouping of 129 countries.

Two European cities - Bonn and Vienna - withdrew from the race shortly before the voting, which took place on Monday at the Red Sea resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt.

IRENA will advise governments on technical and financial issues related to renewable energy and promote clean energy technology in developing countries. The UAE has already pledged annual loans worth $50 million to draw developing countries into the renewable energy loop. “Our country will not be just a headquarter for IRENA. It will be an effective partner in research and development to seek innovative solutions for renewable energy,” said UAE Prime Minister and Vice-President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum in a statement carried by the state-run WAM news agency.

UAE authorities said they were committed to renewable energy, which would comprise 7 per cent of the country’s total energy output. The UAE is among the world’s top oil producers; but, anticipating a decline in the use of hydrocarbons in the future, it is planning ahead to base its energy security on a mix of fossil and clean energy resources, say analysts.

IRENA’s headquarters will be located at Masdar, a zero-carbon-emission mini-city which is being built at a cost of $22 billion. The city will house 50,000 people and is expected to become fully functional by 2015. IRENA’s “innovation centre” will be based in Bonn and a liaison office will be located in Vienna.

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