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Mid East Info
5 days ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
UAE's Ministry of Defence Strengthens its Environmental Credentials with Tabreed and Emerge - Middle East Business News and Information
New Abu Dhabi project sees the integration of solar power into Tabreed's energy mix Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – June 2025: The UAE Ministry of Defence, in partnership with Tabreed, the world's leading district cooling company, and Emerge, a joint venture between the UAE's Masdar, a global clean energy leader, and France's EDF Group, announced today the completion of a new project to integrate solar energy into two district cooling plants serving the Ministry's facilities in Abu Dhabi. In March 2024, a partnership agreement was signed to develop solar PV plants to be operated for a period of 25 years. Approximately 4,000 solar panels have been installed at the district cooling plants, supplying their thermal energy storage infrastructure and chilled water pumps with 2.4 megawatt (MW) of clean electricity. This will help reduce reliance on the electricity grid during peak periods and prevent emissions of more than 2,600 tons of CO2 annually. The project was officially inaugurated by a senior delegation from the Ministry of Defence, Tabreed and Emerge. This initiative follows the unveiling of the UAE Armed Forces Climate Change Strategy in December 2023, announced by the UAE Ministry of Defence to reinforce its commitment to reducing carbon emissions through a long-term energy transition. Tabreed's CEO, Khalid Al Marzooqi, explained that this achievement further strengthens the already close strategic relationship between the company and the Ministry of Defence, which began with the commissioning of its first district cooling plant in 1998. He added, 'Sustainability is a core concept at Tabreed, and we continually analyse and improve our operations in line with global aspirations to achieve climate neutrality. Recently Tabreed made a significant leap in diversifying its energy mix by introducing geothermal energy, and today we are proud to introduce another renewable: solar. These achievements underscore Tabreed's commitment to the UAE's net-zero goals and we will continue to integrate renewable energy at additional plants, to further our support of the public and private sectors in achieving their own environmental targets.' Michel Abi Saab, General Manager of Emerge, said: 'This milestone reflects the growing momentum for distributed solar solutions across vital sectors of the UAE. We are proud to support the Ministry of Defence and Tabreed in advancing their sustainability goals by integrating clean energy into core infrastructure. At Emerge, we remain committed to enabling partners across the region to decarbonise their operations, reduce energy costs and drive measurable impact towards the UAE's net-zero ambitions.' About National Central Cooling Company PJSC (Tabreed) Tabreed provides essential and sustainable district cooling services to iconic developments such as the Burj Khalifa, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Ferrari World, Emirates Towers, Yas Island, Al Maryah Island, Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera, Dubai Metro, Bahrain Financial Harbor and the Jabal Omar Development in the Holy City of Makkah. The company owns and operates 92 plants in its portfolio, including 76 in the United Arab Emirates, five in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, eight in Oman, one in the Kingdom of Bahrain, one in India and one in Egypt, in addition to other international projects and operations. Tabreed is a leading driver of progress for people, communities, and environments around the world towards a more sustainable future. Founded in 1998 and publicly listed on the Dubai Financial Market, it is one of the UAE's strongest growth companies. Through its extensive regional and international operations, industry-leading reliability and efficiency, R&D programmes and investment in AI technology, Tabreed further solidifies its position as the industry's global leader. In addition to district cooling, Tabreed's energy efficiency services extend the company's sustainability impact, helping businesses and organisations to improve their overall energy consumption, in turn preventing CO2 emissions and assisting in the achievement of carbon neutrality objectives. About Emerge: Emerge is a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group established to develop solar generation, energy storage and hybrid solutions in the Middle East. We support our business partners in achieving their sustainability goals. A home-grown company, Emerge was founded in 2021 and has since established a robust performance record. Emerge provides clients with comprehensive renewable energy solutions via solar power agreements. Clients do not have to make any initial financial commitments. This empowers our customers to concentrate on their core operations while reducing operational and energy expenditures. About Masdar: Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company) is one of the world's fastest-growing renewable energy companies. As a global clean energy leader, Masdar is advancing the development and deployment of solar, wind, geothermal, battery storage and green hydrogen technologies to accelerate the energy transformation and help the world meet its net-zero ambitions. Established in 2006, Masdar has developed and invested in projects in over 40 countries with a combined capacity of 51 gigawatts (GW), providing affordable clean energy access to those who need it most and helping to power a more sustainable future. Masdar is jointly owned by TAQA, ADNOC, and Mubadala, and is targeting a renewable energy portfolio capacity of 100GW by 2030 while aiming to be a leading producer of green hydrogen by the same year. About EDF Group: The EDF Group is a key player in the energy transition, as an integrated energy operator engaged in all aspects of the energy business: power generation, distribution, trading, energy sales and energy services. The Group is a world leader in low-carbon energy, with a low carbon output of 5204TWh, a diverse generation mix based mainly on nuclear and renewable energy (including hydropower). It is also investing in new technologies to support the energy transition. EDF's raison d'être is to build a net zero energy future with electricity and innovative solutions and services, to help save the planet and drive well-being and economic development. The Group supplies energy and services to approximately 40.9 million customers and generated consolidated sales of €118.7 billion in 2024.
Filipino Times
24-05-2025
- Science
- Filipino Times
Abu Dhabi uses drones to disperse over 6.5 million seeds across nature reserves
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has completed a large-scale seed dispersal project using custom-designed drones, spreading more than 6.5 million seeds across 320 hectares of nature reserves. The move is part of efforts to restore natural habitats and support the emirate's climate strategy, Abu Dhabi Media Office reported. 'We successfully implemented one of the largest drone-based seeding operations ever undertaken in Abu Dhabi, within a notably short timeframe. This achievement is in line with Abu Dhabi's Climate Change Strategy and covered a total of 320 hectares of habitat, many of which were seeded for the first time,' said Ahmed Al Hashmi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD. The project, done with UK-based restoration company Dendra, used custom-made drones to plant seeds in remote areas, allowing work to be finished faster and without disturbing fragile land. Native plants like Samar (Vachellia tortilis), Moringa (Moringa peregrina), and Desert Cotton (Aerva javanica) were seeded in Jebel Hafit's mountain slopes. In Qasr Al Sarab's sand dunes, seeds included Fire Bush (Calligonum polygonoides) and Rimth (Haloxylon salicornicum). The agency's team, including young Emirati talent, studied soil and vegetation before seeding to match each area with suitable native species. This ensures better chances for the seeds to grow and thrive. EAD will monitor the seeded areas using AI-powered sensors to track plant growth. The project builds on the agency's earlier rangeland studies launched in 2024 to help improve land management across Abu Dhabi.
Al Etihad
22-05-2025
- Science
- Al Etihad
EAD completes project to disperse 6.5m native seeds across nature reserves
22 May 2025 10:21 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has completed its 2025 native seed dispersal programme in nature reserves. The initiative, conducted in partnership with UK-based environmental restoration company Dendra, used custom-designed drones to carry out aerial agency continues to advance its drone-based seeding programme through the expertise of a dedicated team comprising seasoned professionals and promising young Emirati talent. The team carries out comprehensive studies and precise assessments of vegetation cover within the targeted reserves, taking into account soil characteristics and their suitability for the native plant species selected under the Al Hashmi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, said: 'We successfully implemented one of the largest drone-based seeding operations ever undertaken in Abu Dhabi, within a notably short timeframe. This achievement is in line with Abu Dhabi's Climate Change Strategy and covered a total of 320 hectares of habitat, many of which were seeded for the first time.'This initiative underscores the agency's commitment to harnessing advanced artificial intelligence tools in support of environmental sustainability and reflects our leadership's ongoing vision to safeguard natural ecosystems through the integration of innovation and technology in pursuit of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.'A total of 6.5 million seeds from native species were dispersed, including Samar (Vachellia tortilis), Moringa (Moringa peregrina), Rumex (Rumex limoniastrum), Cleome )Cleome pallida(Desert cotton (Aerva javanica) and Panicum (Panicum turgidum) in the mountainous slopes and wadi habitats of Jebel Hafit National for the Sand dunes ecosystems of Qasr Al Sarab Nature Reserve, seeds of Fire Bush (Calligonum polygonoides), Rimth (Haloxylon salicornicum), Tricholaena (Tricholaena teneriffae), Panicum (Panicum turgidum), and Agriophyllum (Agriophyllum minus) were use of drones enables the agency to cover extensive areas in significantly less time compared to traditional manual seeding methods. This technology also facilitates operations in remote and difficult-to-access terrain without the need for vehicles, thereby reducing environmental disturbance to fragile marks only the beginning of the process. EAD will continue to monitor the designated areas to assess vegetation response over time, employing AI-powered sensors and advanced monitoring technologies to track the growth of shrubs and native plants. This initiative builds upon the natural rangeland study programmes launched by the agency in 2024 and is continuing into 2025. These efforts aim to establish a comprehensive, field-based assessment of current vegetation conditions, serving as a benchmark for evaluating the effectiveness of grazing regulations and other environmental management measures across Abu Dhabi. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
