UAE Wind Programme to power over 23,000 homes a year

The UAE has unveiled plans to introduce cost-effective, large-scale, wind power to the national electricity grid.

This will be done through the UAE Wind Programme, which is expected to power more than 23,000 homes a year and displace 120,000 tonnes of CO2 annually.

His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, inaugurated the UAE Wind Programme during a ceremony on Sir Bani Yas Island.

The 103.5-megawatt project, developed by Masdar, spans four locations, including Sir Bani Yas Island, where a 45MW capacity wind farm plus 14 MWp (megawatt peak) solar farm has been developed, expanding on existing wind power facilities on the island.

The other wind farm locations include Delma Island (27MW) and Al Sila in Abu Dhabi (27MW), as well as Al Halah in Fujairah (4.5MW).

The initiative strengthens the UAE's decarbonisation efforts and accelerates progress towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050.

On behalf of the UAE President, Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has inaugurated the UAE Wind Program. Developed by Masdar, the project furthers strengthens decarbonisation efforts and accelerates progress towards achieving UAE net zero emissions by 2050. pic.twitter.com/nwEDRxMX5u

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) October 5, 2023

The project marks new era in adding utility-scale wind power to the UAE’s energy mix.

Energy generated by solar, nuclear and waste-to-energy plants already feeds into the UAE’s national grid, and last month, the country was recognised as a world leader in solar energy use, according to data from The Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy.

Previously, wind energy was not viable at utility scale due to low wind speeds in the UAE, but innovations within climate technology and UAE-led expertise have made power generation using wind possible.

Larger turbines, lower hardware costs and the discovery of a unique weather phenomenon that generates high winds at night, have made the UAE Wind Programme project scalable and economically viable.

Wind power being strongest at night in the UAE complements the country’s existing solar power generation.

By working with global technology leaders and turbine manufacturers, the project is paving the way for the commercialisation of further utility scale, low-wind speed projects.

The project is also creating a foundation of critical scientific wind data, which will form the basis of the UAE’s next phase of development.

Read more: https://t.co/pRNTwo3Hax pic.twitter.com/ejKsGnpTSD

— مكتب أبوظبي الإعلامي (@ADMediaOffice) October 5, 2023