The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a dominant force in the Middle East’s green-finance landscape, driven by strong government commitments, influential sovereign-wealth funds, and clear regulatory frameworks. The market continues to grow in sophistication and volume, reinforced by initiatives following COP28. The country first came on our radar in and around 2008 when it began developing Masdar City, which was to be a zero carbon city. It has become an innovation hub and poster for the country’s sovereign wealth that is investing in cleantech and innovation. As the UAE knows full well, the fossil fuel economy can’t grow innovation or a future once the world reaches peak oil, or peak tolerance for carbon emissions.

Market Leadership and Growth

How does the UAE lead in bond market resilience? The UAE remains a primary source of sustainable bond issuance in the Middle East. While regional issuance saw a slight dip in 2024 due to global economic factors, the market is expected to recover, with S&P Global Ratings projecting USD 18 to 23 billion in total regional sustainable-bond issuance for 2025.

Financial-institution dominance: Financial institutions drive a large portion of the sustainable-bond market in the UAE, while corporate issuances have been more volatile.

Green financing in the UAE focuses heavily on renewable energy, energy efficiency, sustainable real estate, and transportation.

The Catalytic Role of Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs)

Leading wealth funds: Abu Dhabi-based entities like Mubadala, ADQ, and Masdar are pivotal in driving the UAE’s green transition.

Masdar’s green bonds:

As a global clean-energy leader, Masdar uses its green bonds to finance greenfield projects in renewable energy, green hydrogen, and battery storage. In May 2025, Masdar’s third USD 1 billion green bond was oversubscribed by 6.6 times, attracting strong international and regional investor interest. The proceeds have been deployed globally, supporting solar, wind, and storage projects. Masdar releases 2024 Green Finance Report.

Masdar City never reached its projected population but it now houses thousands of students, residents, and businesses (e.g., Siemens, IRENA). It’s a functioning R&D and university hub, not abandoned.

The Alterra Fund:

Launched by the UAE at COP28 with a USD 30 billion commitment, Alterra aims to mobilise USD 250 billion by 2030 to finance the new climate economy. It includes a USD 5 billion arm focused on catalysing investment in underserved markets.

ADQ’s strategy:

ADQ embeds ESG principles across its portfolio and has a dedicated Sustainable Finance Framework to guide its investments toward creating a low-carbon economy.

Mubadala’s commitment:

Mubadala integrates sustainability across its investment lifecycle and has committed to achieving net-zero emissions across its global portfolio by 2050.

Regulatory Framework and Transparency

Financial regulators like the Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE), the Securities & Commodities Authority (SCA), Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), and the Dubai Financial Services Authority (DFSA) have established strong frameworks.

ADGM’s framework: In 2023, ADGM implemented a comprehensive sustainable-finance regulatory framework, including ESG disclosure requirements and regulatory designations for various green financial instruments.

Combating greenwashing: The ADGM framework and SCA regulations aim to mitigate greenwashing by requiring third-party verification, regular reporting and adherence to international standards like the ICMA Green Bond Principles. Because the UAE does not have a history or culture of free press, we cannot verify how those international standards will be monitored and supervised.

UAE Sustainable Finance Working Group: The SFWG, which includes federal regulators, is actively developing a nationwide taxonomy and pushing for enhanced sustainability disclosures. International third parties, without monetary stakes must be involved in supervision of policies and procedures.

Forced disappearances, the lack of worker rights, and lack of human rights questions how the UAE will be able to disclose, monitor and support green frameworks which include these standards at the core. Cross-dressing and homosexuality is illegal in the UAE.

Initiatives for a Sustainable Transition

The UAE continues to rollout frameworks such as the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 in support of its transition to a green economy.

Carbon market: In 2022, ADGM launched the world’s first regulated carbon-credit trading exchange, the AirCarbon Exchange (ACX).

Capacity building: Forums such as the Abu Dhabi Sustainable Finance Forum and educational initiatives from ADGM are building awareness and expertise in sustainable finance.

Green Finance Mechanisms and Models in the UAE: A Strategic Blueprint for a Sustainable Economy

The UAE is rapidly cementing its position as a global leader in green finance, moving beyond its traditional role as an oil-dependent economy to become a hub for sustainable investment. A sophisticated mix of regulatory frameworks, strategic investments by sovereign wealth funds and innovative financial instruments is driving this transition. Backed by ambitious targets like the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative, the country has built a robust ecosystem for financing a green economy.

Sovereign Wealth Funds: The Primary Catalysts

At the heart of the UAE’s green finance strategy are its influential SWFs, which are transitioning from traditional capital allocators to strategic enablers of sustainable finance. Their long-term investment horizons make them ideal for funding large-scale, capital-intensive green projects.

The Alterra Fund, launched with a USD 30 billion seed at COP28, aims to mobilise USD 250 billion by 2030 for global climate action. It has a unique two-part structure, including a USD 5 billion arm dedicated to de-risking investments in the Global South.

Masdar, owned by ADNOC, TAQA and Mubadala, is a global catalyst for sustainable development. It has been instrumental in issuing green bonds and scaling clean-energy projects internationally.

Masdar is the the UAE’s flagship renewable energy company. Compare it to Neom in Saudi Arabia. Masdar has become one of the world’s most active clean energy investors, with projects in more than 40 countries across six continents. Established in 2006 and jointly owned by ADNOC, Mubadala, and TAQA, Masdar operates and develops solar, wind, and green hydrogen projects with a current portfolio exceeding 50 gigawatts of capacity. Masdar also buys companies, and bought a 50% stake in the US business Terra-Gen last year. While the sum was not disclosed, it’s estimated to be a deal worth $500 Mllion

The company’s ambition is to reach 100 GW of installed renewable capacity and produce one million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030. Its projects stretch from the deserts of Abu Dhabi to the steppes of Uzbekistan, where Masdar is developing multi-gigawatt wind farms, and to the Philippines, where it has signed a $15 billion deal for solar, wind, and battery storage projects.

In Europe, Masdar has expanded into Spain and Portugal through the acquisition of a large wind and solar portfolio, while in Africa and island nations like Seychelles it supports off-grid solar and microgrid systems. Domestically, its Shams 1 solar plant remains a regional landmark. Collectively, Masdar’s projects generate more than 26,000 GWh of clean power each year, offsetting around 14 million tonnes of carbon emissions, and symbolizing the UAE’s broader ambition to lead the global clean energy transition.

Innovative financial instruments for foreign investment

The UAE has adopted and adapted a variety of financial instruments to channel capital toward sustainable projects, leveraging both conventional and Islamic finance models.

Sustainable bonds and sukuk: Issuances of green and sustainability-linked bonds and sukuk are foundational to the UAE’s green-finance market. For example, corporate green sukuk were used to fund green commercial buildings. Private sector green sukuk in UAE to incentivise green commercial buildings.

Blended finance: UAE financial institutions, supported by the UAE Banks Federation’s pledge of AED 1 trillion toward green finance by 2030, are increasingly applying blended finance models to attract private capital for sustainable projects.

Carbon-credit trading: The ADGM-based AirCarbon Exchange turns emissions reductions into tradable financial assets, creating a new frontier of green-finance innovation.

Regulatory frameworks

Robust and proactive regulation from both financial free zones and federal bodies is essential for building investor trust and mitigating green-washing risks.

ADGM: A free-zone regulator that now offers regulatory “labels” for Green, Climate Transition and Sustainability-Linked funds and mandates ESG disclosures.

DIFC: The Dubai International Financial Centre runs its own Sustainable Finance Framework and recently launched a Sustainable Finance Catalyst, an AI-driven platform to boost sustainable-finance investment flows.

Federal coordination: The Sustainable Finance Working Group (SFWG) is finalising a national green taxonomy and enhancing ESG-reporting standards.

While the UAE’s green-finance landscape is advanced, significant challenges remain. A unified national green taxonomy is still in development, regulatory differences persist between mainland and free-zone jurisdictions, and data transparency and capacity building remain work-in-progress. Nevertheless, major growth opportunities lie ahead, including:

• Increased focus on green infrastructure beyond renewable energy—such as water and waste management.
• Green fintech platforms and climate-technology innovation environments.
• Improved ESG data-quality and disclosure frameworks, enabling more informed investment decisions.
• Investing in the UAE gives investors close access to Asian markets.

With its religious tolerance policy and a current embrace of western culture, despite practicing Sharia law, UAE’s green-finance model is dynamic and forward-looking — built on a foundation of sovereign wealth, regulatory sophistication and market-driven innovation. This multi-pronged approach not only underpins its own national climate ambition, but positions the UAE as a critical engine for mobilising global climate-finance flows into the sustainable economy of the next decade. It is certainly leading the green financing market by far in the Middle East, in practice and action.

Zakat, taxes and cultural surprises in the UAE

Beyond finance-instruments and regulation, investors and companies operating in the UAE should be aware of several cultural, religious and tax-related “surprises.”

Zakat is a Muslim duty: Though the UAE does not officially mandate zakat under federal law, many Muslim-owned businesses voluntarily observe it as a religious obligation. Typical calculation is about 2.5 % of eligible wealth (cash, inventory, receivables) after deducting liabilities. And of course, there are regulations, lawayers and advisers in this space: see Zakat advisory & compliance services in the UAE.

If you want to live in the UAE and raise a family there, it’s not easy to become a citizen: Non-Muslims can become citizens of the United Arab Emirates, but the process is highly selective and tightly controlled. Traditionally, UAE citizenship was reserved almost entirely for Emiratis by birth. However, since 2021, the UAE has introduced special pathways for foreigners with exceptional contributions to the country. Citizenship if granted, is mostly symbolic. They don’t have an open-immigration process for the millions of laborers who come there from Pakistan or India. Unlike, Canada.

Also, learn about why Muslims don’t drink alcohol. And how to behave as a foreigner in Dubai.

Taxes: While the UAE is known for having no personal income tax, and a certain kind of tax freedom, it does levy other taxes and fees:

• Value-Added Tax (VAT) at a standard rate of 5% on most goods and services. Official UAE taxation portal.
• Corporate Tax (CT): As of 1 June 2023 for qualifying businesses, a standard rate of 9% on taxable income exceeding AED 375 000. KPMG corporate tax overview.
• Additional levies: Municipal taxes on rental contracts, hotel services, and selective “excise” taxes on certain goods (e.g., energy drinks, tobacco). See: TAXATION OF INTERNATIONAL EXECUTIVES – UAE guide.

Cultural surprises:

• Business relations in the UAE are still heavily influenced by personal trust, relationship-building, and local customs. Respect for Islamic tradition, Friday prayer schedules and Ramadan timing remain very important important if you are doing business there. Things which are normal at home, may not be acceptable in the UAE, like having cannabis in your blood or using CBD oil. If you come on an official visit, invited by a person of power of influence you should be fine.
• Operational licence regimes differ across emirates and free-zones: rules can vary between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates so on-the-ground due diligence is critical.
• The regulatory framework for green finance is young and evolving — local interpretation of “green” or “sustainable” may still diverge from global norms, so verification and local partner-insight matter.

Further reading on Green Prophet:

1. Arab Energy Fund commits $1 billion to energy transition and decarbonization
2. World Green Economy Summit 2025: Sandeep Chandna’s mission to make sustainability core to business strategy
3. The history and promise of geological hydrogen for fuel
4. $100 million USD fund unites Arab Gulf and Israel (cleantech investments)
5. Abu Dhabi’s Masdar buys 50% stake in American renewables Terra-Gen
6. The Future of Energy: Nuclear Realism vs. Solar Idealism
7. The wind farms of the Middle East

The post UAE Green Finance Report 2025 appeared first on Green Prophet.

Businesses in the same industry can often learn from each other’s successes and failures. It would be naive to think your competitors are not keeping an eye on your every move. From branding and pricing to social media posts and promotions, competitors should have one another on their radar. However, if your party supply store starts promoting Halloween costumes in August, don’t be surprised if your competitor starts early too.That said, they should not blatantly copy what the other one is doing.

Brands in complementing industries can also enjoy learning from other businesses. When clothing stores highlight certain trending colors in their window displays, shoe and bag stores often mimic them. So even if someone is not in the market for a neon yellow dress, they might consider the bright yellow bag as a pop of color with a monochromatic outfit. Here are some more ways competitor insights can help your business.

1. Watch Search Engine Ranking

When someone searches for “car detailing near me,” your business should pop up on the first page if that’s your focus. There are several ways to do that, with one of the most important being targeted website content. You need to be using the right keywords to rank well in search. This is an area where you can learn a lot from the competition. If another car detailing business in your area consistently appears at the top of search results, it’s worth analyzing their approach.

Start by checking out the keywords they’re targeting by reviewing their website content, meta descriptions, and headers. You can also conduct a competitive content analysis to identify gaps.  Consider creating content that addresses common questions potential customers might have, like “how often should I get my car detailed?” or “what does a full car detailing service include?” By offering valuable, informative content that’s optimized for search, you increase the chances of attracting organic traffic.

2. Monitor Communications

Whether it’s their website, marketing materials, or social media posts, it’s imperative that you know what content competitors are churning out. Even if it’s poorly written copy, you should be subscribed to their marketing. The generic template-kind of emails from your competitor could mean you have a chance to shine with more organic content. Include an interview with the founder and add some behind the scenes pics for a human touch. With so much AI-generated content floating around today, you must stand out.

If social media is not your forte, hire someone so that you’re on top of your game. Many customers today make shopping decisions based on what they see in their social media feeds. Learn about algorithms, so your content reaches your target market. Even if they don’t purchase immediately, your company will hopefully be on their mind the next time they want to buy a product you sell.

3. Know Pricing and Promotions

With everything else being equal, sometimes the bottom line is what decides if a customer is going to go for Company A or B. Keep a watch on industry price trends. Try to stay competitive unless you have another edge. Don’t try to undercut the market by pricing yourselves too low. This could make customers think there is something lacking in your business if you are offering the same service for half price. It can also hurt the entire industry when one business tries to bring the market rate down.

In addition to monitoring competitors pricing, stay abreast of the sales and offers they advertise. Both businesses may have an oil change for the same amount. However, one business keeps sending $10 off coupons to their mailbox. That’ll easily change where a non-loyal customer will go. You can also walk into a competing business to see where they shine and what they lack. Take your own car for an oil change at a local competing business and evaluate their customer service, convenient timings, and so on. Emulate what they do well, and improve upon gaps.

4. Fill Gaping Holes

If the competing business is lacking in any area, it can be an opportunity for your business to stand apart. Say a pizza joint has great food but they don’t deliver. You can ensure you have your own delivery drivers and are available on the popular food delivery apps like Doordash and GrubHub. This way, a customer who cannot drive to the store can still order from your business. Of course, the taste and price also matter, so make sure that’s top notch. 

Opportunities can change with time. The other pizza place may eventually start offering delivery. But there is no need to despair. You can find some other unique selling proposition to differentiate your business. There are so many factors involved in a good experience that every business can shine. Unique toppings, delicious sides, a friendly smile at checkout, and an easy-to-order-app are just a few ways you can outshine your competitors.

Consider that wind farms have a certain efficiency if the first turbine is slowed down. This can help create a more efficient farm and a lead on competition.

When you keep an eye on competitors professionally, there is far less guesswork. You will not make decisions based on a hunch. You will have concrete data showing which keywords, for instance, are used most in search. You can then modify your strategy accordingly. When you see what is working for others, it is easier to replicate it in your own unique way.  

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The Dumat Al-Jandal wind farm with a capacity of 400MW, stands as a pioneering endeavor in Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy landscape in an ancient land. It’s Saudi Arabia’s first wind farm. At 400MW, it is the largest wind farm in the Middle East, displacing almost one million tonnes of CO2 annually.

Developed by a consortium led by EDF Renewables (51%) and Masdar (49%), with the client being Saudi Aramco this project not only marks the kingdom’s inaugural utility-scale wind power initiative but also ranks among the largest wind farms in the Middle East.

EDF Renewables (formerly EDF Renouvelables) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the French utility EDF Group, specializing in renewable energy production.

With an estimated investment totaling $500 million USD, construction started in August 2019 following the consortium’s attainment of financial closure in June 2019. The installation of the first turbines began in August 2020.

In August 2021, the initial phase of the wind farm successfully connected to the grid, marking the commencement of power generation, with full-scale commercial operations that started in 2022.

While the project’s primary aim is to harness wind energy for sustainable electricity generation, comprehensive environmental assessments have been integral to its development. Prior to construction, thorough evaluations were conducted to assess potential impacts on archaeology, avian and terrestrial fauna, and flora in the region.

These assessments aimed to mitigate any adverse effects and ensure the preservation of cultural heritage and biodiversity.

Three of the target species recorded within the development site are listed as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN (2017); Egyptian vulture (six individuals), saker falcon (one individual) and steppe eagle (75 individuals, including constant effort survey records). Refined collision risk modelling predicted 0.77 collisions per year for steppe eagle, which is equivalent to a collision every 1.3 years. For Egyptian vulture and saker 0.10 and 0.01 collisions per year were predicted. No reports of danger to wildlife have been made since the wind farm started operating.

Situated in the Al Jouf region of north-western Saudi Arabia, approximately 900km north of Riyadh, the wind farm’s location atop a plateau offers optimal wind resources for efficient energy production. However, this region is also home to a diverse range of wildlife and ecosystems, necessitating careful consideration of environmental factors throughout the project’s lifecycle.

Read related: Saudi’s slow train through nature

Key findings from environmental assessments highlighted the presence of archaeological sites of historical significance, as well as habitats supporting various species of birds, plants, and animals. To safeguard these assets, measures such as site delineation, monitoring, and mitigation strategies were implemented during construction and operational phases.

The wind farm’s core components include 99 units of Vestas’ V150-4.2MW wind turbines, each positioned to minimize disturbance to local ecosystems. Additionally, transmission infrastructure, including a 380kV overhead power line and associated equipment, was strategically designed to minimize environmental impact while ensuring efficient power transmission.

As the Dumat Al-Jandal wind farm emerges as a testament to sustainable development, it underscores the importance of integrating environmental considerations into renewable energy projects. By prioritizing environmental stewardship alongside energy production, this pioneering initiative sets a precedent for responsible development in the renewable energy sector.

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An ode to my Scottish heritage and known among the world’s bravest inventors: Scotland has just launched the world’s first floating wind farm. Well it was launched a few years earlier but now is officially fully comissioned. I’ve travelled the coast of Scotland and seen onshore windfarms. Not all the locals like them. Are floating wind farms our future?

The 50 MW Kincardine Offshore Windfarm – or KOWL – is located 15 km off the coast of Aberdeenshire, in water depths ranging from 60m to 80m.

It takes a multitude of businesses to build a renewable energy farm of any kind and wind energy is no different. The project consists of five Vestas V164-9.5 MW and one V80-2 MW turbine, each installed on WindFloat semi-submersible platforms designed by Principle Power.  

The Kincardine project was started back in 2014 by Allan MacAskill and Lord Nicol Stephen, now both directors of Flotation Energy plc. In 2016 Cobra Group became the main investor in Kincardine Offshore Windfarm Ltd. (KOWL). But before that in 2012 we wrote about Hexagon, a floating wind farm that was to be floating off the coast of Malta. Turns out according to Cleantechnica that Hexagon is still plugging away despite KOWL being the first.  

Cobra Wind, a subsidiary of Cobra Group, has been responsible for delivery of the project, including engineering, construction, installation and commissioning.

In addition to being the largest floating windfarm in the world, the development also features another first, using the highest capacity wind turbines ever installed on floating platforms. 

Kincardine will generate over 200 GWh of green electricity a year, enough renewable electricity to power more than 50,000 Scottish households. I can just see my wee cousins making cups of tea sitting in front of their tellies — powered by the wind. 

Jaime Altolaguirre, KOWL Project Director from Cobra, a partner of the project said: “The completion of Kincardine comes at a pivotal time in determining Scotland’s leadership in the floating offshore sector. Kincardine offshore windfarm has shown that the largest and most advanced wind turbines available can be installed on floating platforms in the challenging North Sea environment.

“The project proves that floating wind can play a vital role in tackling climate change not only in Scotland and the UK, but also around the world.”

The Kincardine team has also announced the selection of Aberdeen as its operations and maintenance base. 

“The Kincardine project shows how boundaries of offshore wind technology are constantly being pushed forward. We have once again demonstrated that the world’s most powerful turbines can be installed on floating substructures,” said Nils de Baar, President, Vestas Central & Northern Europe: 

“We stand ready for the next phase of commercial scale floating offshore wind. With appropriate policy and regulations, floating technology offers the UK an opportunity to expand its global leadership position in offshore wind and build further opportunities for the domestic supply chain. We are proud to be part of the pioneering Kincardine project.”

So who is next? Lebanon, Israel and Egypt on the gentle Mediterranean or Saudi Arabia floating wind farms on the Red Sea in their futuristic city Neom?  



  

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The Energy and Mines World Congress shows that 2019 will be considered the tipping point for solar and wind projects in the mining sector

The Energy and Mines World Congress that took place in Toronto provided great insights into the recent developments of onsite renewable energy applications at remote mines. Getting power lines to remote locations is hard, very hard. Trucking in fuel for polluting generators is the only other solution. Now the industry is understanding that renewable energy makes sense and cents.

This year 2019 is the tipping point. The business case for partly substituting expensive fuel like diesel, heavy fuel oil (HFO) or gas by solar and wind had been positive on paper for years. However, actual projects have evolved slowly. In 2019, almost a dozen new projects have been officially announced and at the same time many more projects are under development and on the verge of being announced.

Nick Holland, CEO of Gold Fields, a mining company that is a pioneer in integrating renewables, pointed out that costs savings are possible, and a cost-efficient decentralization of power generation enabled by renewables comes with further advantages: “Renewables make for great business – lower cost and supply security. Independence from the grid is critical – microgrids are the future!” he said.

Sustainability goes well beyond renewables

Mining companies see the need to decarbonize and pursue initiatives that go well beyond renewables, such as electrification of mining vehicles. These initiatives will further increase the electricity demand in mining and in the long run the need for locally generated renewable energy.

Trust in renewables has been building up over the years

Miners are gaining trust in renewable energy solutions. The fear of production losses has been decreasing over the past years with every new renewable energy system that has been added to a mine globally. Before, the general attitude was characterized by “wait and see”, but the mode has been changing in 2019 to “let’s act now”.

The individual decision makers today run a relatively low perceived risk by driving forward renewable energy projects. The solutions that are being built now are often more sophisticated than they were before, and they incorporate a higher share of renewables that is also enabled by storage solutions. Read more here about types of solar panels.

Australia and Africa are leading the way

The epicenters of these developments are Australia and Sub-Saharan Africa, two regions having substantial areas with insufficient public grids and typically excellent solar resources.

At the same time, renewable energy development also has a local driver. Though the mining sector is rather global, the word-of-mouth and political pressure on mining players to add renewables unleashes additional speed on a local level.

Shorter power purchase agreements (PPAs)

In comparison to the physical lifetime of solar and wind assets, the lifetime of mines or the mining licenses are often rather short. In addition, miners are used to relatively short-term energy supply for diesel, HFO (or heavy fuel oil) and gas.

Long-term purchase agreements for renewable energy often require a change of thinking and have slowed down the development of many projects in the past. More and more companies have come up with redeployable solar solutions that allow for offering short-term PPAs. On the hardware-side, the costs of redeployable solar solutions have come down significantly, but at the same time this approach is a bet on future growth of this segment. Redeployability also means that new target projects need to be available within a reasonable time period in the future. If not, the solar assets would have to be stored in warehouses until new deployment, which can prove to be costly.

Combining different renewable energy sources and energy storage

Several newly announced projects combine solar and wind power. One of the biggest disadvantages of solar and wind solutions is that they generate unsteady energy. Solar and wind output are often negatively correlated, which means that when solar irradiation is high wind speeds are typically low, and vice versa. This phenomenon allows for increasing the renewable energy share in the system while minimizing the need for storage.

In his presentation at the Energy and Mines World Congress, Thomas Hillig, Managing Director of the consulting firm THEnergy, said that for mining companies it makes sense to consider all sustainability levers and that also hydro could experience a real renaissance:

“In a research project that is supported by the German government with approximately USD 1 million, THEnergy is analyzing in collaboration with two universities, RWTH Aachen and TU München, the potential of hydro-electric solutions in the mining sector. We are still looking for mines in Peru to participate – free of any charge.”

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Saudi Arabia gives Morocco a sunny boost, but Joseph looks at Morocco’s bigger renewable energy picture: an aim to use 42% renewables by 2020.

With worries growing that Morocco’s ambitious solar energy plans are on the decline (Morocco has plans to generate 2GW of solar energy by 2020 under the Morocco Solar Plan), Saudi Arabia’s International Company for Water and Power (ACWA Power) is leading a consortium to help erect a 160 megawatt concentrating solar power plant near Ouarzazate in Morocco. The Moroccan Solar Energy Agency (MASEN) believes that the new partnership will put solar energy back on track toward meeting goals of producing massive amounts of solar energy by the end of the decade.

According to solarserver.com, Aries Ingeniería y Sistemas and TSK EE will join ACWA for the design, finance, construction, operation and maintenance of the plant, at an estimated development cost of USD 1 billion. The companies plan to begin work on the plant by the end of 2012 and complete the plant near the end of 2014.

What makes the new consortium unique is that it is looking to create a solar power plant at nearly 50 percent less cost than other plants. According to ACWA, they will produce electricity at $0.188/kilowatt, much less than the $0.239 offered by two other development consortia.

To meet Morocco’s electricity needs, the government has adopted and is implementing a three-phase strategy. The first short-term phase runs through the end of this year and involves increasing capacity and efficiency in the national network. Since 2009 an additional 1085 MW of capacity has been installed, costing some one billion euros.

As part of the overhaul of the overall network, the country has unveiled new generation plants. These new installations include a 140-MW wind farm near Tangier and a 472-MW solar power plant in the north-east area of Ain Beni Mathar. In the same period the government also invested €218.5m in upgrading and renovating works on plants representing 2350 MW of generating capacity in order to boost efficiency.

The second phase, which addresses the medium term and runs between 2013 and 2019, seeks to diversify electricity production by increasing the proportion generated through renewables and natural gas. The government aims for 42% of Moroccan electricity capacity to be generated by renewables by 2020, up from 33% in 2009, divided equally between hydroelectric, wind and solar sources. Solar and wind-generated capacity will increase from 4% of total capacity in 2009 to 28%. The final, long-term (2020-30) phase will further emphasize alternative energy sources.

Increasing renewable energy use looks a smart move for Morocco. The country lacks hydrocarbons and is heavily reliant on imports. Consequently, high international oil prices have pressured the country’s trade balance. Government subsidies aimed at maintaining price stability for fuel, which currently accounts for 27% of electricity production, are also putting pressure on the fiscal deficit.

In contrast to imported fuel, solar panels in the country’s desert areas are capable of producing more than 5.5 KWh per sq meter, while the country’s long coast line gives it plenty of potential wind power capacity – the government aims to achieve a total wind power capacity of 25,000 MW onshore alone. By increasing the use of renewables, the aim is to bring the proportion of fuel oil-generated electricity to 10% of total output by the end of the decade.

Image of Moroccan hand from Shutterstock

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An organic farmer near İzmir in western Turkey awoke a few weeks ago to the sound of poles and transmission lines being installed on a hill near his farm. The lines will connect new wind energy projects in Çeşme to the city of İzmir, but pose a serious threat to future farming activity in the region, according to the farmer. The twist: this organic farmer is also the manager of one of Turkey’s first wind energy project developers.

A haven of organic farming

Because of his prominence in the sector, the organic farmer and wind energy company manager didn’t want his name published. But he explained the situation to Green Prophet in an exclusive interview. We’ll call him Rüzgar (“wind” in Turkish, also sometimes used as a first name for men) for the purposes of this article.

“The channel which the line is passing through is the only region conducting organic farming activities such as ours,” Rüzgar says. “I just want to show the paradox of how these wind power plant activities — which we are deeply involved in — are destroying our organic farming activities.”

The forests around his farm have a special “first degree protected area” status, according to Rüzgar, who has been living on his 150,000-square-meter CERES-certified organic farm with his family since 2000. They focus on raising organic olives and related products, but also belong to a small group that works on joint organic projects.

Transmission company violating “common rules and criteria”

The Turkish Electricity Transmission Company (TEİAŞ) has ignored the protected status of the land, and hasn’t conducted a proper environmental impact assessment of the transmission project, according to Rüzgar.

“The rules and criteria for wind farming project development are totally common rules and criteria. Protection of the environment is essential for wind farming activities. Green electricity production must consider the environmental effects of the farm,” he says.

The lines have an electric potential of 380 kilovolts, meaning their presence may have unknown electromagnetic effects on the surrounding area. A study of how the lines will specifically affect organic farms in the region is forthcoming, according to Rüzgar.

He doesn’t want to get involved in a legal battle with TEİAŞ because of his position in the sector, but Rüzgar says that a neighboring village, Bademler, is preparing to take the transmission company to court over the construction.

Wind energy in Turkey: A troubled history

We’ve reported before on the issues that have beset Turkey’s wind energy industry, including the fact that bringing turbines out to wind farms requires the construction of new access roads that must often cut through remote wilderness areas.

In 2008, a poorly planned auction of tenders for wind farm licenses awarded overlapping tenders to multiple bidders, forcing the results of the auction to be untangled and redone, a process that is still not quite finished.

But the government also seems very serious about improving Turkey’s wind energy capacity rapidly, announcing an ambitious “National Wind Energy System” last year.

Hopefully, Turkey’s wind energy sector will continue to expand without hurting other fragile environmental movements in the country. Organic farmers, especially, need all the support they can get in Turkey, which has some of the most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables in Europe.

Read more about wind energy in Turkey:
Tektug Elektrik Group Enters Turkey’s Expanding Wind Energy Sector
Local Wind Energy Industry Emerges In Turkey
Hidden Costs of Constructing Wind Farms in Turkey Include Many New Roads

Image of traditional Turkish windmill from Shutterstock

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