The energy transition in the Middle East reflects a significant shift from traditional oil dependence toward the accelerated adoption of solar and renewable energy technologies, driven by economic diversification goals, climate commitments, and global energy market shifts.

Despite the region's abundant solar potential, currently solar energy accounts for just over 2% of the MENA region’s energy mix, with fossil fuels still comprising roughly 87% of the supply.

To change this, leading Middle Eastern nations are investing heavily in large-scale solar projects, national energy strategies, and incentivizing renewable capacity growth.

Key national projects exemplifying this transition include the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, planned to reach 5 GW capacity, and the 2 GW Al Dhafra Solar PV Plant in Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia is ramping up renewables aligned with its Vision 2030 and aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, with projects such as the Sakaka solar plant and the Dumat Al Jandal wind farm, the latter attracting competitive tariffs around 2.13 cents per kWh.

Egypt hosts the 1.8 GW Benban Solar Park and a major wind farm at the Gulf of Suez, contributing to its plan to source approximately 42% of electricity from renewables by 2030.

Oman’s Ibri Solar PV Project, with 607 MW capacity, incorporates innovative dust-cleaning robotics to optimize solar efficiency in harsh desert conditions.

Government policies across the region include feed-in tariffs (notably Egypt’s renewable energy FIT program), financial incentives to stimulate investments, and regulatory reforms encouraging private-sector participation.

Investment flows are substantial: the UAE plans to spend $163.5 billion on clean energy projects by 2050; Arab nations collectively anticipate $1 trillion investments in renewable projects by 2040; and Egypt has secured $635 million from the IFC for 11 solar plants, marking a significant private foreign investment boost.

The energy transition in the Middle East reflects a significant shift from traditional oil dependence toward the accelerated adoption of solar and renewable energy technologies, driven by economic diversification goals, climate commitments, and global energy market shifts.

Title:

Content: New technologies to achieve sustainability goals and address climate change
Science and Technology
Huawei
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / u0x4
Existing renewable energy initiatives in the Middle East are strengthening their role in supporting international efforts to address climate change.
In particular, the region is one of the largest contributors to the oil and gas sector globally, and at the same time is the cradle of a number of major and ambitious initiatives and projects aimed at enhancing the reliance on clean energy.
In the UAE, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the world ’ s largest IPP solar site, and the Al Dhafra Solar PV Plant is being built as the world ’ s largest solar power plant with a capacity of 2 GW.
Masdar City is the most sustainable urban community in the world.
ADFD is committed to funding innovative projects to accelerate access to sustainable energy as part of a joint initiative with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
In Saudi Arabia, Neom recently launched The Line, the world ’ s first car-free, carbon-free city with 100% renewable energy.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) leads green energy projects designed to manage the recycling of grey water for reuse for plant irrigation and other purposes, and also has large area photovoltaic panels that produce clean electricity.
In Egypt, hydropower is the second source of energy after thermal, wind and solar, and the country has developed a number of future projects that seek to exploit solar energy and replace non-renewable energy.
Other green projects in Egypt include the cities of Jebel Galala and El Alamein.
The Bahrain World Trade Centre is one of the world ’ s leading examples of sustainable architecture, taking the lead in being the first skyscraper in the world to introduce wind turbines to provide total energy consumption.
Morocco, famous for its huge and world-leading solar arrays, has made a big name for itself as a leader in the fight against climate change, renewable energy makes up nearly two-fifths of the country ’ s electricity, and the country implements some of the world ’ s largest clean energy projects.
Since 2012, Jordan has turned to solar power to generate electricity and government policies have pushed citizens and investors to turn to renewable energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, by offering financial facilities to investors and reducing the electricity bill.
Sustainability initiatives in the Arab countries contribute effectively to building a diversified digital economy that achieves the national visions of these countries, and the green economy initiative launched by the UAE, and the Saudi Green Initiative is a good example of this.
Today, the ICT sector is increasingly playing a role in achieving sustainability through new technologies such as 5G, cloud computing and artificial intelligence that will play a key role in implementing clean energy initiatives as they enhance productivity, improve efficiency, reduce costs and waste, evaluate business systems, analyze waste, track problems and develop solutions.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says ICT will contribute to achieving the UN ’ s Sustainable Development Goals and improving the quality of life.
According to the United Nations, ICT can be relied upon in two ways: reliance on clean information and communication technology, and clean energy generation based on information and communication technology.
In the first scenario, ICT solutions that contribute to environmental safety and carbon reduction are designed.
In the second scenario, ICT solutions such as those in grids, buildings, smart logistics and industrial processes help promote sustainability and energy efficiency.
The sustainability efforts of tech companies have been recognized globally, Huawei is an example of companies that have adjusted their business in line with sustainability goals, and recently received an award from the International Mobile Phone Association for their contributions to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through mobile devices.
The company aims to rely on innovative technologies to drive clean development across various sectors and industries, and in 2021 it used more than 300 million kWh of electricity produced from renewable sources, an increase of 42.3% compared to 2020.
Huawei ’ s digital power solutions have generated 482.9 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy and reduced electricity consumption by 14.2 billion kilowatt-hours, equivalent to 230 million tons of carbon emissions.
In parallel with efforts to promote a sustainable approach to technology, the ICT industry must not lose sight of the issue of enhanced security.
Technology providers should focus on protecting user privacy when working to provide modern, seamless technology and communications.
Certainly, we will not be able to grow the business and ensure its sustainability if we do not provide safe and reliable technologies to protect cybersecurity, which is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders involved in sustainability.
The current digital divide could isolate millions of people around the world from contributing to the development of a clean economy.
Tech companies can contribute to making technology accessible to all thanks to their technical capabilities and resources.
Through initiatives such as TECH4ALL, Huawei has relied on digital technologies to implement programs aimed at enhancing the leadership capabilities of more than 110,000 people in 2021.
The digital divide in global talent could undermine sustainability efforts, so greater emphasis should be placed on redressing it and priority should be given to strengthening collaboration between tech companies, academia and government institutions in order to bridge the digital skills gap.
By investing in programs to prepare local technical cadres, hone skills and enhance practical experience, more bridges of cooperation between the public and private sectors can be built to prepare the future generation of sustainability leaders with the help of technology.
Huawei has established 163 ICT academies in the Middle East.
More than 3,500 students participated in the Seeds for the Global Future program, while more than 37,000 students received Huawei certifications.
The company has also provided training to more than 120,000 ICT talents in the region who are expected to contribute to the advancement of sustainability in the countries of the region by making the most of technology.
In light of the increasing challenges of reducing carbon emissions facing various countries around the world, we all have a responsibility to strengthen cooperation and work together to build a sustainable and prosperous future for future generations.
By: Ammar Taba, Huawei Vice President for Public Relations and Media in the Middle East
Agree.
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Despite the region's abundant solar potential, currently solar energy accounts for just over 2% of the MENA region’s energy mix, with fossil fuels still comprising roughly 87% of the supply.

Title:

Content: General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
General Supervision
Elham Aboul Fath
Editor-in-Chief
Thank you for your patience.
World Future Energy Summit.
Green finance and climate change lead day 2
The second day of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES), held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in the UAE, kicked off today.
The summit is the premier annual forum for future energy and sustainability.
The day ’ s events focused on green finance, with Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, stressing the urgency of correcting climate change and thinking outside the box, and providing inspiring views on the obstacles to investing in renewable energy and ways to develop it during a session entitled “Financing Global Approaches to Low-Carbon Economies ”.
“It takes a lot of in-depth social studies, practical solutions and a lot of financial support – governments around the world spend a lot of money to defend themselves against other governments, but we don ’ t spend that much money to fight everyone ’ s first enemy, climate change.
He believes that finding practical solutions requires a serious approach to financing and establishing an assembly line for simple renewable energy projects, so that tangible results can be achieved as soon as possible, which is not possible without setting aside the side issues that usually concern us or we will not be able to solve the problem for another 10 years.
Ahmed Bahieldin, General Manager and Commercial Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at GE Vernova, an independent public company spin-off of GE ’ s energy, wind and electricity business, also joined the panel.
“Time is an important factor, especially as there is a lot of capital looking for projects in advanced markets, especially in the areas of renewable energy sources and new technologies, and regulatory reforms and the structuring of the revenue model give more room for growth.
The second day of the summit also saw the launch of the Solar Outlook 2024 report, officially released by the Middle East Solar Industry Association at the World Future Energy Summit.
The report highlights the growing contribution of solar energy to the MENA region ’ s ongoing energy transition from traditional fossil fuels to renewables, amid continued manufacturing boom, population and economic growth, as well as concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability.
Solar Energy
According to the report, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region today has one of the highest levels of solar energy potential in the world, with countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Egypt contributing on average annual solar radiation exceeding 2,000 kilowatt-hours per square meter per year.
While the regional solar growth trajectory is expected to continue, the report reveals that it is still well below the levels required to replace the current fossil fuel contribution of 87%, with solar providing just over 2% of the current energy mix in the MENA region.
Denisa Vines, Secretary General of the Middle East Solar Industry Association, said: “The COP28 pledge to increase renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency with the support of 124 countries has set ambitious targets to increase the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures by 2030, but we still face many challenges to achieve these goals, especially in the energy sector within the Gulf region. After 2030, a variety of technologies are expected to be market-ready, offering scalable solutions to decarbonize the energy sector, enabling a more effective role for renewables, energy efficiency and zero-emission technologies.
The broad pursuit of ambitious targets by 2030 is focused on public utility projects, which may overshadow the needs of the commercial and industrial sectors, and this underscores the importance of considering a balanced approach to energy deployment to ensure inclusive and sustainable development.
COP28 Pledges
Speaking at the Solar and Clean Energy Conference, Dr. Ralph Blumenthal, Head of Networks Programs Middle East at Siemens, praised the ongoing discussions on digitization and the great importance of integrating renewables into smart grids to help achieve the goals of the COP28 pledge.
Batteries are key if we want to triple renewables by 2030, and increase them nine-fold by 2050. Batteries are not only storage, they are essential to grid regulation and reduce disruptions that may occur during renewable energy generation. Today, around 1,500 GW of renewable energy has been installed globally and is ready for deployment, but cannot be integrated into networks. It operates 100% on renewable energy, but national grids have not yet been able to effectively integrate renewables on a large scale.
Constructive discussions and sessions on global energy issues and solutions will continue tomorrow with the Electric Mobility Forum, which will comprehensively examine the role of clean and independent transport in changing the future of city design, and what is needed to unlock the potential of investing in expanding electric mobility.

To change this, leading Middle Eastern nations are investing heavily in large-scale solar projects, national energy strategies, and incentivizing renewable capacity growth.

Title:

Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
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Mohamad Elbaz
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
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Mohamad Elbaz
Economy: Benban and the Gulf of Suez are among the largest renewable energy projects
Economic Middle East magazine, which specializes in economics and energy, said that the Benban solar park and the Gulf of Suez wind project in Egypt are considered among the largest renewable energy projects in the Middle East.
Renewable Energy Projects in the Middle East
The Middle East has long relied on oil and gas, not only for revenue but also for power generation, but in the past years, the region has positioned itself as a leader in the renewable energy sector, boasting numerous renewable energy projects.
From 2023 to 2028, Mordor Intelligence expects the renewable energy market in the Middle East to grow by 13.43% annually.
The Arab Clean Energy Initiative was launched by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and during the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit of 2013, the League of Arab States adopted the initiative, with leaders pledging to increase renewable energy generation capacity in the region from 12 GW in 2013 to 80 GW by 2030.
Benban Solar Park
Located in Aswan, Egypt with a capacity of 1,800 megawatts, Benban Solar Park is valued at $4 billion and includes 41 solar power plants, one of the largest solar PV parks in the world, spanning 37 square kilometers and containing 7 million photovoltaic panels, this initiative is a component of Egypt ’ s Renewable Energy Feed Tariff (FiT) program, which was unveiled in September 2014.
Gulf of Suez Wind Power Project
In November last year, ACWA Power and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) signed a memorandum of understanding, and together they will invest in a 1100 MW wind power project in Jebel Zeit and the Gulf of Suez. The project is one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world, and aims to provide power to more than one million households and reduce annual CO2 emissions by 2.4 million tons.

Key national projects exemplifying this transition include the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, planned to reach 5 GW capacity, and the 2 GW Al Dhafra Solar PV Plant in Abu Dhabi.

Title:

Content: World Future Energy Summit to focus on providing ‘sustainability blueprint’

The three-day event will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from January 16 to January 18

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The 2023 World Future Energy Summit aims to provide a “crucial sustainability blueprint” amid a global focus on the energy transition and measures to boost investment in the renewables sector.

Energy industry leaders and policymakers from around the world will participate in the three-day event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from January 16 to January 18, organisers said on Wednesday.

The summit is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a global initiative championed by the UAE and Abu Dhabi's clean energy company Masdar to hasten sustainable development and advance economic, social, and environmental progress.

“This event has evolved just as the energy sector and our economies are transitioning,” said Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.

“It has now morphed into the Middle East’s most important industry gathering, of which clean energy and infrastructure are key components.”

Countries in the Middle East such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and Egypt are boosting investment in the clean energy sector.

The UAE is investing Dh600 billion ($163.5bn) in clean and renewable energy projects over the next three decades as it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

It is building the world’s largest solar plant with a capacity of two gigawatts in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region that is expected to be ready next year, as well as the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park in Dubai with a capacity of five gigawatts.

Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, also announced a number of new renewable energy projects as it seeks to become carbon neutral by 2060.

Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, aims to derive 42 per cent of its electricity mix from renewable sources by 2035. The North African country is hosting Cop27 next month.

“This newly transitioned event profile is in the right place at the right time, underlining a much-needed shift towards reaching our clean energy goals, as well as achieving sustainable governance and adopting consumption and [the] production of natural energy methods that ensure the quality of life for current and future generations,” Mr Al Mazrouei said.

Renewable energy investment continued to rise amid green transition efforts globally. Capital investments in renewables are set to surpass oil and gas spending for the first time in 2022 as high power prices prompt countries to further diversify their energy mix, according to a report by Rystad Energy.

Investment in renewable energy is set to hit $494bn in 2022, outstripping upstream oil and gas spending at $446bn for the year, the Oslo-based energy consultancy said this month.

In addition to the focus on energy, water, eco-waste, solar, smart cities, climate and the environment, next year's event will also preside over the launch of a dedicated hydrogen innovation centre as demand for the clean fuel picks up globally amid green transition efforts, organisers said.

The event takes place at a time when the UAE is preparing to host Cop28 next year.

Updated: October 19, 2022, 10:41 AM
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Saudi Arabia is ramping up renewables aligned with its Vision 2030 and aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, with projects such as the Sakaka solar plant and the Dumat Al Jandal wind farm, the latter attracting competitive tariffs around 2.13 cents per kWh.

Egypt hosts the 1.8 GW Benban Solar Park and a major wind farm at the Gulf of Suez, contributing to its plan to source approximately 42% of electricity from renewables by 2030.

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Content: Friday 29 December 2023
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Hassad 2023 | « Electricity »: New renewable energy projects under construction with a total capacity of 1700 MW
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The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy confirmed that the green hydrogen projects to be established will provide 44,000 direct and indirect jobs and 220,000 temporary jobs, in addition to eliminating 37 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually in Egypt.
Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker announced that there are 3,500 megawatts under construction and implementation to produce electricity from renewable energy, with investments of up to $4 billion and 400 million.
He added that this comes within the framework of Egypt's keenness to expand renewable energy projects to increase its reliance on electricity generation to provide the quantities of fuel used.
He stressed that the total capacity generated from renewable energy in the national electricity grid in 2025 is expected to reach 15,800 megawatts and reach 42,100 megawatts by 2028.
Total capacity generated from renewable energy will reach 68,500 MW by 2030.
He added that there is a reference plan that aims to rely on renewable energies by 50% by 2040 of the total capacity of the national electricity network with a total capacity of 142,000 megawatts.
Regarding the so-called “Green Plan ”, the minister explained that the state aims to rely on renewable energies by 57% by 2040 with a capacity of 159 thousand megawatts.
He pointed out that Egypt is keen to implement its plan to shift to green energy by amending the renewable energy strategy in Egypt to target reliance on renewable energies by 42% by 2030 instead of 2035.
He pointed out that renewable energy projects in Egypt have become a source of other investments such as green hydrogen, electric cars and water desalination.
For his part, Dr. Mohammed Musa Omran, CEO of the Electricity and Consumer Protection Utility Authority, said that the Authority is keen to overcome any obstacles facing investors in the sector, and speed the completion of licenses for investors and procedures within 15 days.
He added that there are also many legislations for new and renewable energy, and there is an exemption of up to 10 megabytes in the field of integration, and there is progress in net metering projects.
As for consumer complaints, he said that the door is always open to quickly end any problems, explaining that in the framework of developments, the investor can build a sales terminal for the consumer directly without the need to sell the network, which facilitates investment in this sector.
He stressed that the Authority is keen to open the competitive market for the private sector to produce renewable energy and sell it to the private sector and draft bilateral agreements between the private sector to create a favorable environment to attract private investment, which is one of the priorities of the Egyptian government.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Electricity confirmed that the memorandum of understanding signed between the New and Renewable Energy Authority and one of the leading Chinese companies in the field of renewable energy will be investments of up to $10 billion and include the establishment of solar power plants with capacities of up to 10 gigawatts. The participation of renewable energy in the national electricity grid to 42% by 2030, pointing out that Egypt has a huge potential in the field of renewable energy unlike any other in the world, and that the project will produce about 29,784 GWh of clean energy annually, which will contribute to reducing about 14 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The ministry pointed out that the largest gathering of solar power plants in Egypt and the Middle East is Benban solar complex with a capacity of 1465 megawatts, noting that the memorandum of understanding signed aims to establish plants with a capacity of up to 10,000 megawatts that can be divided into two or three complexes to become the largest gathering of solar power plants in the future.

Oman’s Ibri Solar PV Project, with 607 MW capacity, incorporates innovative dust-cleaning robotics to optimize solar efficiency in harsh desert conditions.

Title:

Content: To enable Oman Vision 2040, PowerChina sets new standards in renewable energy through the Oman Ibri Solar PV Project
BEIJING, Dec. 22, 2022 / PRNewswire / — Report from haiwainet.cn:
According to a recent World Government Summit report, Oman, Jordan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Morocco have topped the list in achieving 60% of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Oman is promoting global cooperation in renewable energy following the launch of Oman Vision 2040.
In January 2022, Oman ’ s largest renewable energy project, the Oman Ibri Solar PV Project, implemented by PowerChina, was completed.
As the largest solar PV project in Oman at present, it has a installed capacity of 607 MW and annual power generation of 1,598 GWh, which could cover the annual electricity consumption of 50,000 local households.
It is important to secure energy supply and diversify Oman ’ s energy structure.
The construction of a large-scale photovoltaic power plant in the desert needs to take into account not only summer extremes, but also complex geological conditions and dust storm weather.
During the storm, a thick layer of dust will accumulate on the photovoltaic panels, reducing the efficiency of power generation.
To deal with the dust storm, the project team made a groundbreaking attempt – installing intelligent cleaning robots on the panels.
The cleaning robots will automatically clean the dust covered on the panels.
This project combines photoelectric tracking system and automatic cleaning system for the first time, greatly improves power generation efficiency and reduces operation and maintenance costs, and sets new standards for large-scale power plant operation and maintenance in the Middle East.
PowerChina has obtained 41 patents for inventions and utility models, completed one study, and published 8 scientific reports through this project.
At the same time, the clean energy produced by the Oman Ibri solar PV project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 340,000 tons per year, contributing positively to addressing climate change and achieving carbon neutrality.

Government policies across the region include feed-in tariffs (notably Egypt’s renewable energy FIT program), financial incentives to stimulate investments, and regulatory reforms encouraging private-sector participation.

Investment flows are substantial: the UAE plans to spend $163.5 billion on clean energy projects by 2050; Arab nations collectively anticipate $1 trillion investments in renewable projects by 2040; and Egypt has secured $635 million from the IFC for 11 solar plants, marking a significant private foreign investment boost.


The energy transition in the Middle East reflects a significant shift from traditional oil dependence toward the accelerated adoption of solar and renewable energy technologies, driven by economic diversification goals, climate commitments, and global energy market shifts.

Despite the region's abundant solar potential, currently solar energy accounts for just over 2% of the MENA region’s energy mix, with fossil fuels still comprising roughly 87% of the supply.

To change this, leading Middle Eastern nations are investing heavily in large-scale solar projects, national energy strategies, and incentivizing renewable capacity growth.

Key national projects exemplifying this transition include the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, planned to reach 5 GW capacity, and the 2 GW Al Dhafra Solar PV Plant in Abu Dhabi.

Saudi Arabia is ramping up renewables aligned with its Vision 2030 and aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, with projects such as the Sakaka solar plant and the Dumat Al Jandal wind farm, the latter attracting competitive tariffs around 2.13 cents per kWh.

Egypt hosts the 1.8 GW Benban Solar Park and a major wind farm at the Gulf of Suez, contributing to its plan to source approximately 42% of electricity from renewables by 2030.

Oman’s Ibri Solar PV Project, with 607 MW capacity, incorporates innovative dust-cleaning robotics to optimize solar efficiency in harsh desert conditions.

Government policies across the region include feed-in tariffs (notably Egypt’s renewable energy FIT program), financial incentives to stimulate investments, and regulatory reforms encouraging private-sector participation.

Investment flows are substantial: the UAE plans to spend $163.5 billion on clean energy projects by 2050; Arab nations collectively anticipate $1 trillion investments in renewable projects by 2040; and Egypt has secured $635 million from the IFC for 11 solar plants, marking a significant private foreign investment boost.

The economic impacts are profound, including projected job creation in renewable and green hydrogen sectors (44,000 direct jobs in Egypt’s green hydrogen projects), expanded industrial diversification, and enhanced local value chains.

Projects like Egypt’s green hydrogen initiatives anticipate revenues of $200 billion by 2050 for Gulf countries.

Moreover, investment in renewables is increasing globally and regionally, driven partly by geopolitical instabilities and rising oil prices.

On climate goals, these renewable projects directly contribute to emission reductions—e.g., the Oman solar plant expects to reduce CO2 emissions by 340,000 tons annually, while Egypt’s renewable expansion targets 37 million tons avoided emissions per year.

COP28 commitments, supported by Middle Eastern leadership, aim to triple renewables by 2030 and escalate this nine-fold by 2050, underpinned by integration into smart grids and energy storage solutions.

Challenges remain, including grid integration complexities, funding needs for low- and middle-income countries, and addressing the digital divide to fully leverage ICT for energy management.

The region increasingly employs digital technologies and smart grids (as seen in UAE’s Masdar City and Saudi KAUST projects) to optimize renewable deployment and sustainability outcomes.

In conclusion, the Middle East is advancing a multifaceted, ambitious energy transition led by solar capacity expansion, innovative technologies, policy reforms, and international collaboration.

This transition not only diversifies regional economies away from hydrocarbons but also aligns local energy systems with global climate objectives, setting a strategic roadmap for a post-oil future

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The energy transition in the Middle East reflects a significant shift from traditional oil dependence toward the accelerated adoption of solar and renewable energy technologies, driven by economic diversification goals, climate commitments, and global energy market shifts.

Title:

Content: New technologies to achieve sustainability goals and address climate change
Science and Technology
Huawei
Copy Link https: / / en.rt.com / u0x4
Existing renewable energy initiatives in the Middle East are strengthening their role in supporting international efforts to address climate change.
In particular, the region is one of the largest contributors to the oil and gas sector globally, and at the same time is the cradle of a number of major and ambitious initiatives and projects aimed at enhancing the reliance on clean energy.
In the UAE, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the world ’ s largest IPP solar site, and the Al Dhafra Solar PV Plant is being built as the world ’ s largest solar power plant with a capacity of 2 GW.
Masdar City is the most sustainable urban community in the world.
ADFD is committed to funding innovative projects to accelerate access to sustainable energy as part of a joint initiative with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
In Saudi Arabia, Neom recently launched The Line, the world ’ s first car-free, carbon-free city with 100% renewable energy.
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) leads green energy projects designed to manage the recycling of grey water for reuse for plant irrigation and other purposes, and also has large area photovoltaic panels that produce clean electricity.
In Egypt, hydropower is the second source of energy after thermal, wind and solar, and the country has developed a number of future projects that seek to exploit solar energy and replace non-renewable energy.
Other green projects in Egypt include the cities of Jebel Galala and El Alamein.
The Bahrain World Trade Centre is one of the world ’ s leading examples of sustainable architecture, taking the lead in being the first skyscraper in the world to introduce wind turbines to provide total energy consumption.
Morocco, famous for its huge and world-leading solar arrays, has made a big name for itself as a leader in the fight against climate change, renewable energy makes up nearly two-fifths of the country ’ s electricity, and the country implements some of the world ’ s largest clean energy projects.
Since 2012, Jordan has turned to solar power to generate electricity and government policies have pushed citizens and investors to turn to renewable energy to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, by offering financial facilities to investors and reducing the electricity bill.
Sustainability initiatives in the Arab countries contribute effectively to building a diversified digital economy that achieves the national visions of these countries, and the green economy initiative launched by the UAE, and the Saudi Green Initiative is a good example of this.
Today, the ICT sector is increasingly playing a role in achieving sustainability through new technologies such as 5G, cloud computing and artificial intelligence that will play a key role in implementing clean energy initiatives as they enhance productivity, improve efficiency, reduce costs and waste, evaluate business systems, analyze waste, track problems and develop solutions.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) says ICT will contribute to achieving the UN ’ s Sustainable Development Goals and improving the quality of life.
According to the United Nations, ICT can be relied upon in two ways: reliance on clean information and communication technology, and clean energy generation based on information and communication technology.
In the first scenario, ICT solutions that contribute to environmental safety and carbon reduction are designed.
In the second scenario, ICT solutions such as those in grids, buildings, smart logistics and industrial processes help promote sustainability and energy efficiency.
The sustainability efforts of tech companies have been recognized globally, Huawei is an example of companies that have adjusted their business in line with sustainability goals, and recently received an award from the International Mobile Phone Association for their contributions to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through mobile devices.
The company aims to rely on innovative technologies to drive clean development across various sectors and industries, and in 2021 it used more than 300 million kWh of electricity produced from renewable sources, an increase of 42.3% compared to 2020.
Huawei ’ s digital power solutions have generated 482.9 billion kilowatt-hours of clean energy and reduced electricity consumption by 14.2 billion kilowatt-hours, equivalent to 230 million tons of carbon emissions.
In parallel with efforts to promote a sustainable approach to technology, the ICT industry must not lose sight of the issue of enhanced security.
Technology providers should focus on protecting user privacy when working to provide modern, seamless technology and communications.
Certainly, we will not be able to grow the business and ensure its sustainability if we do not provide safe and reliable technologies to protect cybersecurity, which is a shared responsibility of all stakeholders involved in sustainability.
The current digital divide could isolate millions of people around the world from contributing to the development of a clean economy.
Tech companies can contribute to making technology accessible to all thanks to their technical capabilities and resources.
Through initiatives such as TECH4ALL, Huawei has relied on digital technologies to implement programs aimed at enhancing the leadership capabilities of more than 110,000 people in 2021.
The digital divide in global talent could undermine sustainability efforts, so greater emphasis should be placed on redressing it and priority should be given to strengthening collaboration between tech companies, academia and government institutions in order to bridge the digital skills gap.
By investing in programs to prepare local technical cadres, hone skills and enhance practical experience, more bridges of cooperation between the public and private sectors can be built to prepare the future generation of sustainability leaders with the help of technology.
Huawei has established 163 ICT academies in the Middle East.
More than 3,500 students participated in the Seeds for the Global Future program, while more than 37,000 students received Huawei certifications.
The company has also provided training to more than 120,000 ICT talents in the region who are expected to contribute to the advancement of sustainability in the countries of the region by making the most of technology.
In light of the increasing challenges of reducing carbon emissions facing various countries around the world, we all have a responsibility to strengthen cooperation and work together to build a sustainable and prosperous future for future generations.
By: Ammar Taba, Huawei Vice President for Public Relations and Media in the Middle East
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Despite the region's abundant solar potential, currently solar energy accounts for just over 2% of the MENA region’s energy mix, with fossil fuels still comprising roughly 87% of the supply.

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World Future Energy Summit.
Green finance and climate change lead day 2
The second day of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES), held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC) in the UAE, kicked off today.
The summit is the premier annual forum for future energy and sustainability.
The day ’ s events focused on green finance, with Boris Johnson, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, stressing the urgency of correcting climate change and thinking outside the box, and providing inspiring views on the obstacles to investing in renewable energy and ways to develop it during a session entitled “Financing Global Approaches to Low-Carbon Economies ”.
“It takes a lot of in-depth social studies, practical solutions and a lot of financial support – governments around the world spend a lot of money to defend themselves against other governments, but we don ’ t spend that much money to fight everyone ’ s first enemy, climate change.
He believes that finding practical solutions requires a serious approach to financing and establishing an assembly line for simple renewable energy projects, so that tangible results can be achieved as soon as possible, which is not possible without setting aside the side issues that usually concern us or we will not be able to solve the problem for another 10 years.
Ahmed Bahieldin, General Manager and Commercial Officer for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) at GE Vernova, an independent public company spin-off of GE ’ s energy, wind and electricity business, also joined the panel.
“Time is an important factor, especially as there is a lot of capital looking for projects in advanced markets, especially in the areas of renewable energy sources and new technologies, and regulatory reforms and the structuring of the revenue model give more room for growth.
The second day of the summit also saw the launch of the Solar Outlook 2024 report, officially released by the Middle East Solar Industry Association at the World Future Energy Summit.
The report highlights the growing contribution of solar energy to the MENA region ’ s ongoing energy transition from traditional fossil fuels to renewables, amid continued manufacturing boom, population and economic growth, as well as concerns about climate change and environmental sustainability.
Solar Energy
According to the report, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region today has one of the highest levels of solar energy potential in the world, with countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco and Egypt contributing on average annual solar radiation exceeding 2,000 kilowatt-hours per square meter per year.
While the regional solar growth trajectory is expected to continue, the report reveals that it is still well below the levels required to replace the current fossil fuel contribution of 87%, with solar providing just over 2% of the current energy mix in the MENA region.
Denisa Vines, Secretary General of the Middle East Solar Industry Association, said: “The COP28 pledge to increase renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency with the support of 124 countries has set ambitious targets to increase the deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures by 2030, but we still face many challenges to achieve these goals, especially in the energy sector within the Gulf region. After 2030, a variety of technologies are expected to be market-ready, offering scalable solutions to decarbonize the energy sector, enabling a more effective role for renewables, energy efficiency and zero-emission technologies.
The broad pursuit of ambitious targets by 2030 is focused on public utility projects, which may overshadow the needs of the commercial and industrial sectors, and this underscores the importance of considering a balanced approach to energy deployment to ensure inclusive and sustainable development.
COP28 Pledges
Speaking at the Solar and Clean Energy Conference, Dr. Ralph Blumenthal, Head of Networks Programs Middle East at Siemens, praised the ongoing discussions on digitization and the great importance of integrating renewables into smart grids to help achieve the goals of the COP28 pledge.
Batteries are key if we want to triple renewables by 2030, and increase them nine-fold by 2050. Batteries are not only storage, they are essential to grid regulation and reduce disruptions that may occur during renewable energy generation. Today, around 1,500 GW of renewable energy has been installed globally and is ready for deployment, but cannot be integrated into networks. It operates 100% on renewable energy, but national grids have not yet been able to effectively integrate renewables on a large scale.
Constructive discussions and sessions on global energy issues and solutions will continue tomorrow with the Electric Mobility Forum, which will comprehensively examine the role of clean and independent transport in changing the future of city design, and what is needed to unlock the potential of investing in expanding electric mobility.

To change this, leading Middle Eastern nations are investing heavily in large-scale solar projects, national energy strategies, and incentivizing renewable capacity growth.

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Content: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Editors
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Economy: Benban and the Gulf of Suez are among the largest renewable energy projects
Economic Middle East magazine, which specializes in economics and energy, said that the Benban solar park and the Gulf of Suez wind project in Egypt are considered among the largest renewable energy projects in the Middle East.
Renewable Energy Projects in the Middle East
The Middle East has long relied on oil and gas, not only for revenue but also for power generation, but in the past years, the region has positioned itself as a leader in the renewable energy sector, boasting numerous renewable energy projects.
From 2023 to 2028, Mordor Intelligence expects the renewable energy market in the Middle East to grow by 13.43% annually.
The Arab Clean Energy Initiative was launched by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and during the Arab Economic and Social Development Summit of 2013, the League of Arab States adopted the initiative, with leaders pledging to increase renewable energy generation capacity in the region from 12 GW in 2013 to 80 GW by 2030.
Benban Solar Park
Located in Aswan, Egypt with a capacity of 1,800 megawatts, Benban Solar Park is valued at $4 billion and includes 41 solar power plants, one of the largest solar PV parks in the world, spanning 37 square kilometers and containing 7 million photovoltaic panels, this initiative is a component of Egypt ’ s Renewable Energy Feed Tariff (FiT) program, which was unveiled in September 2014.
Gulf of Suez Wind Power Project
In November last year, ACWA Power and the Sovereign Fund of Egypt (TSFE) signed a memorandum of understanding, and together they will invest in a 1100 MW wind power project in Jebel Zeit and the Gulf of Suez. The project is one of the largest onshore wind farms in the world, and aims to provide power to more than one million households and reduce annual CO2 emissions by 2.4 million tons.

Key national projects exemplifying this transition include the UAE’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, planned to reach 5 GW capacity, and the 2 GW Al Dhafra Solar PV Plant in Abu Dhabi.

Title:

Content: World Future Energy Summit to focus on providing ‘sustainability blueprint’

The three-day event will be held at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from January 16 to January 18

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The 2023 World Future Energy Summit aims to provide a “crucial sustainability blueprint” amid a global focus on the energy transition and measures to boost investment in the renewables sector.

Energy industry leaders and policymakers from around the world will participate in the three-day event at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre from January 16 to January 18, organisers said on Wednesday.

The summit is the centrepiece of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, a global initiative championed by the UAE and Abu Dhabi's clean energy company Masdar to hasten sustainable development and advance economic, social, and environmental progress.

“This event has evolved just as the energy sector and our economies are transitioning,” said Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure.

“It has now morphed into the Middle East’s most important industry gathering, of which clean energy and infrastructure are key components.”

Countries in the Middle East such as the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman and Egypt are boosting investment in the clean energy sector.

The UAE is investing Dh600 billion ($163.5bn) in clean and renewable energy projects over the next three decades as it aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

It is building the world’s largest solar plant with a capacity of two gigawatts in Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra region that is expected to be ready next year, as well as the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park in Dubai with a capacity of five gigawatts.

Saudi Arabia, the Arab world’s largest economy, also announced a number of new renewable energy projects as it seeks to become carbon neutral by 2060.

Egypt, the most populous country in the Arab world, aims to derive 42 per cent of its electricity mix from renewable sources by 2035. The North African country is hosting Cop27 next month.

“This newly transitioned event profile is in the right place at the right time, underlining a much-needed shift towards reaching our clean energy goals, as well as achieving sustainable governance and adopting consumption and [the] production of natural energy methods that ensure the quality of life for current and future generations,” Mr Al Mazrouei said.

Renewable energy investment continued to rise amid green transition efforts globally. Capital investments in renewables are set to surpass oil and gas spending for the first time in 2022 as high power prices prompt countries to further diversify their energy mix, according to a report by Rystad Energy.

Investment in renewable energy is set to hit $494bn in 2022, outstripping upstream oil and gas spending at $446bn for the year, the Oslo-based energy consultancy said this month.

In addition to the focus on energy, water, eco-waste, solar, smart cities, climate and the environment, next year's event will also preside over the launch of a dedicated hydrogen innovation centre as demand for the clean fuel picks up globally amid green transition efforts, organisers said.

The event takes place at a time when the UAE is preparing to host Cop28 next year.

Updated: October 19, 2022, 10:41 AM
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Saudi Arabia is ramping up renewables aligned with its Vision 2030 and aims for carbon neutrality by 2060, with projects such as the Sakaka solar plant and the Dumat Al Jandal wind farm, the latter attracting competitive tariffs around 2.13 cents per kWh.

Egypt hosts the 1.8 GW Benban Solar Park and a major wind farm at the Gulf of Suez, contributing to its plan to source approximately 42% of electricity from renewables by 2030.

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Content: Friday 29 December 2023
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Hassad 2023 | « Electricity »: New renewable energy projects under construction with a total capacity of 1700 MW
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The Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy confirmed that the green hydrogen projects to be established will provide 44,000 direct and indirect jobs and 220,000 temporary jobs, in addition to eliminating 37 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually in Egypt.
Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mohamed Shaker announced that there are 3,500 megawatts under construction and implementation to produce electricity from renewable energy, with investments of up to $4 billion and 400 million.
He added that this comes within the framework of Egypt's keenness to expand renewable energy projects to increase its reliance on electricity generation to provide the quantities of fuel used.
He stressed that the total capacity generated from renewable energy in the national electricity grid in 2025 is expected to reach 15,800 megawatts and reach 42,100 megawatts by 2028.
Total capacity generated from renewable energy will reach 68,500 MW by 2030.
He added that there is a reference plan that aims to rely on renewable energies by 50% by 2040 of the total capacity of the national electricity network with a total capacity of 142,000 megawatts.
Regarding the so-called “Green Plan ”, the minister explained that the state aims to rely on renewable energies by 57% by 2040 with a capacity of 159 thousand megawatts.
He pointed out that Egypt is keen to implement its plan to shift to green energy by amending the renewable energy strategy in Egypt to target reliance on renewable energies by 42% by 2030 instead of 2035.
He pointed out that renewable energy projects in Egypt have become a source of other investments such as green hydrogen, electric cars and water desalination.
For his part, Dr. Mohammed Musa Omran, CEO of the Electricity and Consumer Protection Utility Authority, said that the Authority is keen to overcome any obstacles facing investors in the sector, and speed the completion of licenses for investors and procedures within 15 days.
He added that there are also many legislations for new and renewable energy, and there is an exemption of up to 10 megabytes in the field of integration, and there is progress in net metering projects.
As for consumer complaints, he said that the door is always open to quickly end any problems, explaining that in the framework of developments, the investor can build a sales terminal for the consumer directly without the need to sell the network, which facilitates investment in this sector.
He stressed that the Authority is keen to open the competitive market for the private sector to produce renewable energy and sell it to the private sector and draft bilateral agreements between the private sector to create a favorable environment to attract private investment, which is one of the priorities of the Egyptian government.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Electricity confirmed that the memorandum of understanding signed between the New and Renewable Energy Authority and one of the leading Chinese companies in the field of renewable energy will be investments of up to $10 billion and include the establishment of solar power plants with capacities of up to 10 gigawatts. The participation of renewable energy in the national electricity grid to 42% by 2030, pointing out that Egypt has a huge potential in the field of renewable energy unlike any other in the world, and that the project will produce about 29,784 GWh of clean energy annually, which will contribute to reducing about 14 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The ministry pointed out that the largest gathering of solar power plants in Egypt and the Middle East is Benban solar complex with a capacity of 1465 megawatts, noting that the memorandum of understanding signed aims to establish plants with a capacity of up to 10,000 megawatts that can be divided into two or three complexes to become the largest gathering of solar power plants in the future.

Oman’s Ibri Solar PV Project, with 607 MW capacity, incorporates innovative dust-cleaning robotics to optimize solar efficiency in harsh desert conditions.

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Content: To enable Oman Vision 2040, PowerChina sets new standards in renewable energy through the Oman Ibri Solar PV Project
BEIJING, Dec. 22, 2022 / PRNewswire / — Report from haiwainet.cn:
According to a recent World Government Summit report, Oman, Jordan, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Morocco have topped the list in achieving 60% of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Oman is promoting global cooperation in renewable energy following the launch of Oman Vision 2040.
In January 2022, Oman ’ s largest renewable energy project, the Oman Ibri Solar PV Project, implemented by PowerChina, was completed.
As the largest solar PV project in Oman at present, it has a installed capacity of 607 MW and annual power generation of 1,598 GWh, which could cover the annual electricity consumption of 50,000 local households.
It is important to secure energy supply and diversify Oman ’ s energy structure.
The construction of a large-scale photovoltaic power plant in the desert needs to take into account not only summer extremes, but also complex geological conditions and dust storm weather.
During the storm, a thick layer of dust will accumulate on the photovoltaic panels, reducing the efficiency of power generation.
To deal with the dust storm, the project team made a groundbreaking attempt – installing intelligent cleaning robots on the panels.
The cleaning robots will automatically clean the dust covered on the panels.
This project combines photoelectric tracking system and automatic cleaning system for the first time, greatly improves power generation efficiency and reduces operation and maintenance costs, and sets new standards for large-scale power plant operation and maintenance in the Middle East.
PowerChina has obtained 41 patents for inventions and utility models, completed one study, and published 8 scientific reports through this project.
At the same time, the clean energy produced by the Oman Ibri solar PV project is expected to reduce carbon emissions by 340,000 tons per year, contributing positively to addressing climate change and achieving carbon neutrality.

Government policies across the region include feed-in tariffs (notably Egypt’s renewable energy FIT program), financial incentives to stimulate investments, and regulatory reforms encouraging private-sector participation.

Investment flows are substantial: the UAE plans to spend $163.5 billion on clean energy projects by 2050; Arab nations collectively anticipate $1 trillion investments in renewable projects by 2040; and Egypt has secured $635 million from the IFC for 11 solar plants, marking a significant private foreign investment boost.

The economic impacts are profound, including projected job creation in renewable and green hydrogen sectors (44,000 direct jobs in Egypt’s green hydrogen projects), expanded industrial diversification, and enhanced local value chains.

Projects like Egypt’s green hydrogen initiatives anticipate revenues of $200 billion by 2050 for Gulf countries.

Title:

Content: Sunday, 24 September 2023 02: 03 GMT
2030 Arab Goal to Advance Renewable Energy Capabilities Globally
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Several Arab countries are accelerating to keep pace with the international aspiration to achieve the goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030, which is receiving widespread attention, amid various plans and strategies at national levels in many countries.
The Arab countries that are likely to play the largest role in this regard, according to industry experts, are the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria and Morocco, by injecting more investments into this vital and promising sector.
During the recent G20 summit in New Delhi in September, G20 leaders expressed their support for all efforts to increase renewable energy capacity and pledged to accelerate measures to address environmental crises and challenges.
With this growing international interest in the energy transition, the plans are facing many challenges, including (but not limited to) access to finance, especially for low- and middle-income countries, with significant investment required over the coming years.
(Al-Bayan), a group of American academics and specialists in the renewable energy sector were surveyed about the main opportunities and challenges on the way to increase the desired capacity, the investments required to achieve that goal, and the extent of its expected environmental and economic repercussions.
Huge spikes.
Achieving the ambitious goal of doubling global renewable energy capacity in the near term will be reflected concretely in several contexts, explains Gregory Nemet, a specialist in the analysis of international energy systems and environmental policies at the University of Wisconsin. By 2030, it will deliver significant benefits in terms of jobs, economic development, and improved air quality, as well as putting the world on the path to addressing climate change in the long term.
“The costs of renewable energy, especially solar and wind, have dropped dramatically over the last 10 years, and most experts expect them to continue to fall, ” says Nemet, explaining that a clean, affordable source of energy creates huge opportunities, allowing global renewable energy capacity to be tripled by taking full advantage of it.
According to Nemet, the 3-fold increase also presents challenges, such as “access to finance for low- and middle-income countries, and investments in electricity grids to accommodate this growth ”, stressing that“ challenges can be overcome through sustained efforts and supportive policies, as we have seen many examples in the recent past. ” A sign of broad international cooperation is required in this regard.
Last year, renewable energy capacity (globally) increased by 9.6 percent to 3,372 gigawatts, an increase of a record 295 gigawatts, despite global uncertainty in light of geopolitical developments and the Ukrainian war, according to data published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on March 22.
Almost half of the new capacity from renewable energy in Asia has been added, with China contributing more than 141 gigawatts to the new capacity of the entire continent.
Renewable energy sources in Europe and the United States grew by 57.3 gigawatts and 29.1 gigawatts respectively.
African capacity increased slightly by 2.7 gigawatts.
According to IRENA data, although hydropower accounts for the largest share of total global renewable energy capacity at 1,250 gigawatts, solar and wind power continue to dominate new capacity, contributing 90% of total capacity last year.
Solar capacity came first with an increase of 22%, followed by wind power with an increase of 9%.
Policies and Incentives
University of Massachusetts academic David Turcotte, whose research interests include climate change and environmental justice, believes that there are many opportunities in the context of increasing global renewable energy capacity, due to increases in oil prices as a result of the Ukrainian crisis, which makes renewable energy sources more cost-effective, as well as worsening economic and human costs. Recurrent, more severe climate change disasters.
“Many developed countries have expanded policies and incentives to encourage increased capacity to produce renewable energy.
However, we still face a lot of challenges […]
That threatens to derail efforts to increase renewable energy capacity, and the transition to a clean energy economy.
Among these challenges is the lack of adequate funding to support increases in renewable energy capacity in developing countries, a challenge he described as “serious. ”
While international efforts are accelerating to target investments in the context of increasing global renewable energy capacity, those investments are still below the 1.5 ° C target.
This is shown by data from IRENA and the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) released in February, which estimate the total volume of investments in renewable energy sectors during 2022 at $499 billion, up from $430 billion in the previous year 2021.
Developments in the world over the past year, especially with the start of the Russian military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, have also encouraged many countries to move more towards renewable energy sources, to overcome the energy crisis caused by the consequences of the war, in the interest of the desired goal of increasing capacity.
Required investments
John Hall, Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the Center for Energy Production and Infrastructure, University of North Carolina, United States, notes that “the goal of tripling global renewable energy capacity by 2030 is a challenge, and achieving the goal requires an intensive global strategy, focused on significant financial investment, technological innovation targeting these communities, inclusive policies, and collaborative efforts. ”
Speaking with Al-Bayan, he stressed that community participation and infrastructure development in underserved areas should be central to the strategy, leading not only to the promotion of the energy transition, but also to economic upgrading.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that $4 trillion per year will be required in the clean energy sector until 2030 to strengthen global capacity in this regard.
Logistical challenges
Warren Mabey, an academic at Queen ’ s University who specialises in energy policy and natural resource management, told Al Bayan that “it is technically possible to triple global renewable energy capacity over the next six years, and this will put enormous pressure on the global supply chains that support the sector. and manufactured goods, necessary for the transformation process).
Mabe believes that “the cost will be enormous, and the logistical challenge may be too great to overcome ”, stressing the need for“ strong and consistent leadership from countries around the world to achieve this. ”
Arabic Steps
At the Arab level, five Arab countries (Egypt, Morocco, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) are expected to account for about 72% of the region ’ s total growth in renewable energy, according to the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries (OAPEC), which expects renewable energy capacity to reach 45 gigawatts by 2027, an increase of 3 times. Compared to the last five years.
The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that in 2022, the Middle East saw the highest increase in renewables ever, with 3.2 gigawatts of new capacity added last year, a 12.8 percent increase over the previous year.
According to the Arab Renewable Energy Authority (AREA), the volume of investments by Arab countries in renewable energy projects is expected to reach $1 trillion by 2040, in light of the interest of Arab governments in this file, to achieve global environmental goals.
A Great Leap in 10 Years
According to the current data, the renewable energy sector in the region is expected to witness a huge leap in the next 10 years, at a time when eight Arab countries are leading this trend, according to the researcher in international relations and political economy, Abu Bakr al-Deeb, adviser to the Arab Center for Studies and Research, who tells Al-Bayan that the countries strongly candidate to move in this direction are:, Kuwait, Egypt, Jordan, Algeria and Morocco).
Aldeeb also cites the volume of electricity generated from renewable sources in the Middle East and Arab countries, which is expected to increase six-fold in 10 years through heavy reliance on solar photovoltaic energy, noting that the Arab region has “great potential ” to help launch major projects to produce energy from the sun. And wind, among these possibilities or advantages (the right climate, the bright sun most days of the year, as well as human expertise, and financial capabilities also for some countries).
The UAE is at the top of the list of Arab countries that produce electricity from solar energy, while Egypt is the largest country in the Arab world in terms of electricity production from wind energy, according to a report issued by (Global Energy Monitor), which Al-Deeb cites when explaining the progress made by some Arab countries in this sector, The UAE, Egypt, Jordan and Morocco are among the first Arab countries to establish solar and wind power plants.
According to the report, renewable power plant projects for Arab countries are likely to achieve 92% of the region ’ s total target by 2030 when completed.
One of the most reliable projects in this regard is the Green Hydrogen projects, through which the Middle East is seeking global leadership, with export revenues likely to reach $200 billion by 2050 for the Gulf countries, according to a study by Dii Desert Energy.
In this context, Al-Deeb notes the abundance of renewable energy resources, clean hydrogen, human expertise, capital, and their geographical proximity to the European market, all of which provide them with important and growing opportunities.
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Moreover, investment in renewables is increasing globally and regionally, driven partly by geopolitical instabilities and rising oil prices.

On climate goals, these renewable projects directly contribute to emission reductions—e.g., the Oman solar plant expects to reduce CO2 emissions by 340,000 tons annually, while Egypt’s renewable expansion targets 37 million tons avoided emissions per year.

COP28 commitments, supported by Middle Eastern leadership, aim to triple renewables by 2030 and escalate this nine-fold by 2050, underpinned by integration into smart grids and energy storage solutions.

Challenges remain, including grid integration complexities, funding needs for low- and middle-income countries, and addressing the digital divide to fully leverage ICT for energy management.

The region increasingly employs digital technologies and smart grids (as seen in UAE’s Masdar City and Saudi KAUST projects) to optimize renewable deployment and sustainability outcomes.

In conclusion, the Middle East is advancing a multifaceted, ambitious energy transition led by solar capacity expansion, innovative technologies, policy reforms, and international collaboration.

This transition not only diversifies regional economies away from hydrocarbons but also aligns local energy systems with global climate objectives, setting a strategic roadmap for a post-oil future

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UAE Economy | Middle East Energy Exhibition Opens in Dubai
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), inaugurated the Middle East Energy Expo 2022 Dubai today with more than 18,000 participants attending the event, which runs from 9 March.
The event will feature the participation of more than 500 exhibiting companies from 131 countries and will highlight five key sectors: transportation, distribution, smart solutions, renewable and clean energies, backup generators, critical energy, energy consumption and management.
Azan Mohammed, Director of Middle East Energy and Global Energy and Utilities Forum, said this year ’ s event will provide an ideal platform to secure stability and identify new opportunities in the energy sector while overcoming the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years.
He stressed that the main objective of the exhibition is to provide the opportunity to communicate and meet face-to-face and enhance knowledge through ideas and expert analysis as part of the conferences.
The first day of the event saw the launch of three conferences, including the Global Energy and Utilities Forum, which was opened by HE Eng. Yousef Al Ali, Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity, Water and Future Energy at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure. The conference will provide an ideal platform for industry experts to discuss intellectual leadership, collaboration and solutions to address the energy transition within the sector through a series of high-level strategic committees, technical sessions, roundtable discussions and workshops.
The opening session of the event highlighted the decarbonization roadmap hosted by GE, the UAE Ministry of Energy, the Department of Energy – Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah Municipality, which focused on high-level strategies and approaches across the region to achieve energy transition goals.
The Middle East Solar – Intersolar Conference, which also kicked off today, gave delegates the opportunity to learn more about industry best practices across key pillars of the energy sector including digitization, smart grids, renewable energy, green hydrogen, energy storage, photovoltaic cells, photovoltaic production technologies and solar thermal technologies.

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Title:

Content: $635mn investment approved to build and operate 11 solar plants in Egypt

By James Henderson
The Board of Executive Directors of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has approved an investment of $635mn that will help construct, ope...

The Board of Executive Directors of IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has approved an investment of $635mn that will help construct, operate and maintain up to 11 solar power plants in Egypt.

The combined capacity of the plants amount to 500 megawatts, and will be one of the largest private foreign direct investments in the country’s power sector in recent years.

Part of Egypt's landmark solar Feed-In Tariff (FIT) program, the $730mn project in Benban, near Aswan, aims to mobilise private investment to build the world's largest solar photovoltaic generation park, harnessing the country’s vast solar resources.

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As well as helping to spur economic growth, the project will help drive the local economy, including the creation of temporary and long-term jobs and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions

“This landmark investment demonstrates that when you have the right reform policies, and a government willing to allow greater involvement by the private sector, you can attract investors in every sector, including infrastructure,” said Mouayed Makhlouf, IFC Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“Investments like these are the nucleus for economic growth, which is needed in Egypt.”

Egypt’s solar FIT program, which includes projects financed by other institutions like the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Proparco, is expected to be one of the largest foreign direct investments in years, attracting investments of up to $2bn.

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