For many years, the United Arab Emirates was known in the entire world for one reason: oil. Thanks to this, the country grew so fast and built impressive cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, full of technology, skyscrapers, and luxury. But, today, the United Arab Emirates is going through a historic change as the country has decided that in the future it won’t depend on oil. Instead, the country will use a clean and unlimited source of energy: the sun.
This change is seen in a project that’s already working: a solar plant called Noor Abu Dhabi, which is a huge installation with 3.2 million solar panels. So, let’s find out more about this change, shall we?
So many solar panels in the desert
The Noor Abu Dhabi plant is one of the largest in the world and it’s located in the desert where the sun shines almost everyday. There, 3.2 million solar panels capture the sunlight and transform it into electricity. The great thing about this plant is that it can produce about 2,000 gigawatts per hour of energy every year, which is enough to provide electricity to around 66,000 homes.
Thanks to this, thousands of families in the United Arab Emirates can turn on the lights, use the air conditioning, and charge their devices without using a single drop of oil.
Clean energy plan
Even though the United Arab Emirates is known for its oil, its leaders know oil won’t last forever. This is why the country started the 2050 Energy Plan, a strategy that aims to change the way energy is produced. This plan has two main goals:
- By 2050, 50% of all the country’s energy should come from clean and renewable sources, like solar and wind.
- The UAE also aims to reduce its carbon emissions by 70%, helping to protect the environment and fight climate change.
The Noor Abu Dhabi plant is key to achieve these goals.
How does the plant work?
The secret behind this plant is a technology called photovoltaic, it means the solar panels capture the sunlight and transform it into electricity. There’s no smoke, no fuels, no noise; just clean energy.
When the sun shines on the panels, the special materials inside them release electrons that create electricity. Then, this electricity moves through the cables and reaches homes, businesses, and buildings in the entire country.
Since the United Arab Emirates is sunny almost the entire year, the plant can produce electricity very constantly and reliably.
Teamwork
The success of the Noor Abu Dhabi is possible thanks to teamwork. The government of the United Arab Emirates collaborated with international companies like Marubeni Corporation and JinkoSolar, which helped construct and operate the project.
Years after the planification and the effort, the result was a total success. The plant even won awards, like the Power Generation Project of the Year award at the 2020 MEED Project Awards. This shows the United Arab Emirates is committed to its 2050 Energy Strategy and is also transforming itself into worldwide leaders in clean energy.
Energy future in the United Arab Emirates
The Noor Abu Dhabi plant is just the beginning because the United Arab Emirates is investing in other renewable energy projects, like wind farms and nuclear energy to create a diverse and stable supply of clean power.
For example, in Dubai, new solar projects are being built that are so large and futuristic that people describe them as “photovoltaic UFOs” rising from the desert.
All these projects are part of the UAE’s long-term goal to make sure that future generations have access to safe, clean, and affordable energy.
So, as you can see, oil is something from the past, the future is solar: bright, sustainable, and full of hope for the future generations.