MASDAR, Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company, will showcase its past year's global contribution to clean energy development at the 7th World Future Energy Summit during the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) – the region's largest gathering on sustainability. Masdar will use the platform to highlight a year in which it has inaugurated solar and wind projects in the UAE, UK, Seychelles and Mauritania, installing over 750 megawatts of renewable grid capacity in the process. ADSW and its participating conferences and exhibitions will take place in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 18-24, and will be officially hosted by Masdar. The last 12 months has seen Masdar and its partners delivered a range of clean energy projects including, the world's largest off-shore wind farm, the world's largest concentrated solar power plant, Africa's largest solar PV plant and introduction of utility scale renewables to the Seychelles for the first time. Today, Masdar's entire portfolio of renewable energy projects is successfully delivering nearly one-gigawatt of clean power to grids across the world. “2013 has been a milestone year for Masdar, in which we have made a significant contribution to the global adoption of renewable energy, demonstrating that clean energy is an attractive long-term investment,” said Bader Al Lamki. “From utility scale clean energy to pioneering carbon capture projects, Masdar's growing portfolios of projects are pushing the boundaries of technology and innovation to help diversify the global energy mix and decarbonize our growing economies.” In March, Masdar inaugurated the 100 megawatt Shams 1, the world's largest concentrated solar power plant. Powering 20,000 homes in the UAE, Shams 1 is the region's largest renewable energy plant. In April, Masdar launched the largest solar PV plant in Africa. The 15-megawatt solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the Islamic Republic of Mauritania accounts for 10 percent of the country's grid capacity. June featured the completion of a 6-megawatt (MW) wind farm in the Republic of Seychelles. Today, the farm is producing enough power to cover eight percent of energy capacity in the country's main island of Mahe, which is home to 90 percent of the nation's population. London Array, the world's largest off shore wind farm, inaugurated in July. The 175 turbine, 630 megawatt wind farm located in the Thames Estuary is now powering 500,000 British homes with clean, renewable energy. In collaboration with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), November saw Masdar sign the region's first joint venture agreement focused on exploring and developing commercial-scale projects for carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS). The joint venture's first project will sequester up to 800,000 tons of CO2 captured from the Emirates Steel plant, annually. ADNOC will use the CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), liberating natural gas to help meet growing demand domestically Masdar is also 31 percent shareholder in the recently announced 117MW Tafila Wind Farm in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Jordan's largest utility scale renewable energy project will increase Jordan's total installed power capacity by 3 percent. Masdar will leverage ADSW to highlight their achievements to the world's energy leaders, at a time when the world is balancing economic and social development with rising global energy demands, environmental concerns and the need to manage natural resources. Masdar will emphasize renewables' role as being a critical component of the future energy mix, reducing demands on fossil fuels and supporting energy access. “We are extremely positive about the future of renewable energy,” continued Bader Al Lamki. “We continue exploring commercial projects that support the development of clean energy in the Middle East - a region with huge solar and wind potential. “We also intend to build on our UK investments in off shore, and continue to explore opportunities in what is a very attractive renewables market.” — SG
