Clean energy boost: UAE to get first hydroelectric plant soon

Suhail bin Mohammed Faraj Al Mazroui, Minister of Energy and Industry, and Mohammed Saleh, with the winners of the Federal Electricity and Water Authority's excellence awards during a ceremony in Dubai on Monday. - Photo by Shihab

 The UAE government is conducting preliminary studies to build a hydroelectric plant in Ras Al Khaimah to expand its source of future renewable energy, the top executive of the Federal Electricity and Water Authority (Fewa) said on Monday.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the Fewa's excellence awards ceremony held in Dubai, Mohammed Saleh, Fewa's director-general, said: "We are talking with the Ras Al Khaimah (municipality) for a pilot study to build a hydropower plant in the emirate. We are looking at two locations which can be suitable for the project."
Saleh underlined that the proposed hydropower plant is part of the UAE's 'Energy Strategy 2050', the country's strategic approach of increasing the source of clean energy in the total energy mix from 25 per cent to 50 per cent by 2050. The strategy is also expected to reduce the country's carbon footprint by 70 percent and a saving of Dh700 billion by 2050.
The hydroelectric plant is also expected to address the growing energy demand and ensure a sustainable growth for the country's economy. "We hope to cope with the increasing energy demand, which is around 6 per cent annually in the northern emirates," Saleh explained.  While the UAE has tapped solar, wind and nuclear sources in its ambitious renewable strategies to reduce its dependence on fossil fuel, hydroelectricity - which accounts for around 70 per cent of global renewable energy - is yet to be introduced, mainly because of the country's sparse water supply.
The UAE, however, has an integrated water resources management to address serious problems that might occur and affect future supply of water.
According to government records, there are around 66 dams constructed in the country with a total capacity of about 114 million cubic metres. The largest volume of water accumulation is at the Ham dam in Fujairah, which is about 7.7 million cubic metres and the lowest is the Gulfa dam. Dams are concentrated in the eastern and northern parts of the UAE - in Fujairah and Ras Al Khamiah - where the rainfall is high compared with other parts of the country.
What's hydropower?
Hydropower is fuelled by water and a clean energy source. Producing power is through the use of streaming or falling water. This can be harnessed through the construction of dams across rivers. The constant flow of water will move the turbines to produce electricity and the water that gets out of the turbine will be returned to the stream under the dam.
KT NANO EDIT
A greener tomorrow
In a region where per capita carbon emissions are higher than the world average, the UAE is consciously planning to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels for its energy needs. The leadership is conscious of the fact that the choices we make today will dictate our plans in the future. It's up to all of us to contribute towards a greener and cleaner tomorrow.
angel@khaleejtimes.com