In its quest to shift towards a future fuelled by clean energy, the UAE has started work on multiple projects to produce renewable energy, which includes a massive waste-to-power facility. Thanks to availability of land in the desert and the sun that shines bright above Emirati cities, Dubai has been able to set up the world's largest single site solar park.
In case of Abu Dhabi, a similar unit has been unveiled by clean energy giant Masdar near the Emirati capital, and this firm is now eyeing expansion beyond the gulf. Since every region doesn't have the terrain needed to channelise the sun's energy like the Middle East, Masdar is building a solar farm in the middle of the water for Indonesia.
The floating facility where photovoltaic cells get uninterrupted exposure to sunlight, is being touted as the biggest of its kind, across the globe. To meet the Asian nation's clean energy targets, the facility promises to cut down carbon emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes.
With the capacity to generate power that can light up over 50,000 households, the Cirata floating photovoltaic power plant, is slated to provide employment for 800 Indonesians. Once the solar energy project is operational from 2022, Indonesia will start shutting down coal-powered facilities, to meet its target of reaching zero emissions by 2060.
Although this is UAE's first foray into Indonesia's clean energy sector, Masdar has already started reaching out to other countries on the continent. The firm has inked a pact for building multiple photovoltaic facilities in Uzbekistan.
In addition to these global collaborations, Masdar is also planning to create green hydrogen from the sun's energy in Abu Dhabi. The company will use solar power for electrolysis, which is needed to separate hydrogen molecules from oxygen in the water, for generation of clean fuel.
The green hydrogen projects near the Emirati capital, are also expected to fuel its energy exports, after catering to local demand.