Middle East can be key to world's renewable energy drive: Bill Gates

The co-founder of Microsoft complimented the United Arab Emirates for its ambitious plans to attain net zero emissions by 2050, pointing out the enormous advancements being made at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant.

In a video speech shown at the Countdown to Cop 27 event on Thursday at the Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi, Mr. Gates emphasised the region's crucial role in the fight against global climate change.

To further protect the environment, he urged major oil-producing countries to research better methods of hydrogen extraction.

According to Mr. Gates, the founder of Breakthrough Energy, which strives to promote innovation in sustainable energy to reduce greenhouse gases, "this is how we meet our goals here by... investing in new techniques; looking at hydrogen pathways...ahead of the Cop 28 [in the UAE]".

John Kerry, a US environmental ambassador, Sheikha Shamma bint Sultan, the founder and CEO of the Alliances for Global Sustainability, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the CEO of Masdar, were among the speakers at the event who advocated against climate change.

Talks focused on the UAE's effort to attain net zero emissions by 2050 and were held both in person and electronically.

The UAE is "extremely forward thinking" in its aims, according to Mr. Gates, who praised the country for its efforts and stated that it is setting ambitious goals as part of its shift to greener energy sources.

"Examples of how the country is managing the transition wisely" are the nuclear reactors at the Barakah power facility that are running and supplying electricity to the grid, he said.

The first operational multiple nuclear plant in the area is Barakah.

With its power production, the nation will utilise less gas-fired power plants to provide electricity.

The operation permits for Units 1 and 2 were given out by FANR in the months of February 2020 and March 2021, respectively.

On April 18, 2021, Unit 1 began operating commercially. Within a year, the electricity it generated stopped the release of more than 5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.

This is the amount of emissions that would have been generated if power had been produced instead using fossil fuels. Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) stated in April that it is greater than "one million cars driven for a year" in comparison.

The Barakah plant's four units will generate enough electricity to meet 25% of the nation's energy requirements. It has now reached the halfway point.

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