A solar deal between Abu Dhabi and Jordan is among the announcements expected to be made at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) which gets under way on Monday.
The renewable energy company Masdar is set to unveil a contract win for a 200 megawatt solar power plant in Jordan. The project will cost about US$200 million, Bloomberg reported on Sunday, quoting Ibrahim Saif, Jordan’s minister of energy and mineral resources.
Ahmad Belhoul, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi-based clean energy company, said that Jordan was an important market for Masdar and it would continue to explore various projects in the kingdom. “We will make an announcement on our activities in the kingdom in due course,” said Mr Belhoul.
Jordan plans to have 500MW of wind and solar power capacity by the end of this year, according to Mr Saif.
Regional and multinational companies are hoping to capitalise on the momentum for the sector after the successful climate talks in Paris last month and are coming in force to the capital for one of the world’s largest renewable energy-focused events.
Dubai-based Abdul Latif Jameel Energy and Environmental Services, a division of the Saudi Arabian powerhouse Abdul Latif Jameel, is one of the companies that will showcase its services for the first time at the event.
It is the “right time” for the company, its head Roberto de Diego Arozamena said, with the region’s solar sector rapidly expanding.
“We want to have conversations around the various plans across the region and how the industry is moving forward in the areas of water and energy.” The conference organisers said that this year’s Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week was experiencing double the growth in the number of companies attending as well as pre-scheduled business meetings.
Last year, the Sustainability Business Connect platform had 1,800 meetings scheduled while this year over 6,000 meetings are forecast. The event is also generating a return of sorts from companies that were absent in previous years.
The German multinational conglomerate Siemens will make a return to the event this year after taking a hiatus in 2015. The company’s chief executive for the Middle East, Dietmar Siersdorfer, said that Siemens was showcasing its technology this year because it has a “significant contribution to make”.
“Our presence at COP21, where we reiterated our commitment to be carbon-neutral by 2030 makes it clear that we believe the private sector has a responsibility to take action. WFES is our opportunity to do this in the Middle East,” Mr Siersdorfer said.
UAE companies showcasing in the summit’s exhibition halls include district cooling firm Empower, diversified group Dubai Investments, and Emirates Global Aluminium.
lgraves@thenational.ae
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