Sharjah is actively contributing to the global energy transition through its advancements in waste-toenergy technology and investment in innovative solutions. These efforts demonstrate the emirate’s commitment to creating a sustainable future.
Green Power
Sharjah’s BEEAH Group has made significant strides in exploring the intersection between waste management and power generation through its waste-to-energy plant. Formed through a joint venture with Abu Dhabi’s Masdar, and operated and managed by France’s Veolia, the $200m plant is set to help lower greenhouse gas emissions in the UAE, as about 60% of such gases are attributed to decomposing waste. In its first year after launching in May 2022 the plant processed more than 100,000 tonnes of waste, equivalent to that produced by 180,000 people. Instead of ending up in landfills, this waste was transformed into clean energy, powering up to 2000 homes and reducing the amount of waste Sharjah sent to landfills by 25%, achieving a total landfill diversion rate of 90%. Future plans for the plant include expanding to produce 30 MW of power annually and process 300,000 tonnes of waste per year, leading to a displacement of almost 450,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually, as well as the preservation of the equivalent of 45m cu metres of natural gas.
The performance of Sharjah’s waste-to-energy plant has led to greater interest in the advancement of other facets of the waste management sector. In December 2022 BEEAH Group signed a memorandum of understanding with Japanese gas conglomerate Air Water and UK waste-to-fuel technology firm Chinook Sciences to establish the UAE’s first waste-to-hydrogen power plant. The plant will convert waste wood and plastic into fuel cell grade hydrogen, effectively turning waste materials into a valuable energy source. The planned facility in Sharjah is also set to feature a fuelling station for vehicles, highlighting the more practical aspects of this sustainable source of energy.
Alongside its waste-to-energy initiatives, the emirate is ramping up its efforts to reduce carbon intensity in electricity generation. In October 2023 a new 1.8-GW gas power plant operated by the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority, Sharjah Hamriyah Independent Power and GE subsidiary GE Vernova began commercial operations, providing 40% of Sharjah City’s power. In addition, the plant is projected to emit 4m fewer tonnes of CO annually when compared to legacy technologies that generate similar amounts of energy.
Entrepreneurship
Sharjah Research Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP), in collaboration with the American University of Sharjah, is a key player in fostering innovation in green energy and associated technologies in the emirate, providing both non-financial and financial support to entrepreneurs in the field. In terms of non-financial support, SRTIP hosts Civil Twin, a Spanish company that produces solar panels. Civil Twin plans to test advanced renewable energy technologies in SRTIP’s complex through a pilot photovoltaic factory, which will act as a research and testing centre, as well as a reference point for regional research.
SRTIP’s financial support is chiefly seen in the Sharjah Advanced Industry Accelerator programme (SAIA), which provides funding for innovative projects. The SAIA received more than 3500 applications from 40 countries for the 2023 edition of the programme. UAE-based company Rebooz Technology, which presented innovative hydrogen solutions for combustion energy rejuvenation, won the top prize in 2022. Energy technology continued to be a key theme in the 2023 edition of the competition, which offered a prize of $50,000 and a chance to engage with potential partners during the COP28 UN Conference on Climate Change in the UAE that year.
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