ADNEC expands renewable energy commitment with Al Ain events centre, aiming for net-zero emissions by 2045

ADNEC Group has broadened its strategic clean-energy partnership with the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) to power its Al Ain events center, an extension of their ongoing collaboration, which, according to organizers, is set to decarbonize a significant part of the group’s meeting and exhibition portfolio.

As reported by Al Etihad, the agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi by Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, who is ADNEC Group’s managing director and CEO, and Ahmed Ali Al Shamsi, CEO of EWEC. The signing took place in the presence of senior officials from both organizations. This move builds on earlier arrangements that provided renewable energy to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, and if these plans come to fruition, the Al Ain venue will be operated entirely on clean energy.

Both EWEC and ADNEC have publicly described this partnership as a move towards decarbonizing the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences & Exhibitions (MICE) industry in the UAE. EWEC has indicated that these venues will receive 100% of their energy from renewable sources, with the clean energy supply verified through Clean Energy Certificates issued by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy. According to a press release from the companies, this initiative covers all four of ADNEC’s major destinations: ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, ADNEC Centre Al Ain, ExCeL London, and the ADNEC Business Design Centre in London. This signals a broader, group-wide transition to renewable energy for events.

ADNEC’s sustainability efforts recently hit a notable milestone. The group announced that it had received its first International Renewable Energy Certificates (I-REC), confirming that since November 2024, all power used at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi has been backed by renewable generation. They reported hosting 166 exhibitions, conferences, and meetings since then, consuming over 13,700 MWh of clean energy and, importantly, producing zero CO2 emissions from electricity during that time. The I-REC certification serves as evidence of progress toward their goal of hosting net-zero carbon events. Their sustainability strategies include things like investing in solar power, water-saving systems, waste composting, and recycling exhibition materials, all aiming toward achieving net-zero carbon footprint events by 2050.

However, some public statements mention different target years for these goals. ADNEC Group has said it aims for full carbon neutrality for events by 2045, whereas its sustainability webpage references a 2050 net-zero pledge. This slight discrepancy seems to stem from how corporate targets are communicated, different audiences may see different timelines.

Industry insiders believe that these efforts have broader implications for the Gulf region’s events sector. The MICE industry is quite resource-heavy, electricity use, travel, and construction of exhibition setups all contribute heavily to its environmental impact. By sourcing renewable power from projects that generate clean energy and using certificates to verify this, venues can reduce emissions linked to on-site electricity use. A part of their public statement notes that the clean energy supplied to ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi has already been validated by I-REC certificates covering more than 13,700 MWh since late 2024, which is quite a significant amount.

This partnership also highlights the active role of government-backed energy companies in supporting the UAE’s larger climate ambitions. EWEC, in particular, has become a key player in Abu Dhabi’s efforts to decarbonize its power sector. It has been procuring clean generation capacity and issuing attribution tools, like certificates, that enable corporate consumers to claim they are consuming renewable energy. EWEC has described extending its supply to ADNEC in Al Ain as a “step change,” aligning with national goals of transitioning to cleaner energy sources and reducing carbon emissions across critical sectors.

Beyond electricity, ADNEC has also implemented other sustainability measures. The company reports diverting over 75 tonnes of food waste from landfills through composting, recycling used cooking oil into biofuel for onsite engines, and repurposing construction and exhibit materials. It also participates in regional sustainability forums such as the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Group and the UFI Sustainability Development Committee, emphasizing its commitment to integrating environmental performance into its event management practices.

Despite these promising developments, it’s worth noting that simply relying on renewable energy certificates has its limits. These certificates, such as I-RECs, show that a certain amount of renewable energy is produced on the grid, but they don’t necessarily mean that the exact clean electricity is flowing into a particular building at any exact moment. They are useful and widely accepted tools for demonstrating intent and progress, especially for reducing Scope 2 emissions, but they don’t directly change the physical electricity supply. Emissions from travel, accommodation, stand setup, and supply chains still remain substantial and need additional strategies to address.

The move to expand renewable power contracts to the Al Ain center, along with the verified clean energy supply to Abu Dhabi, is a significant step for the private sector in helping decarbonize large-scale events in the Gulf region. If these efforts are fully implemented across all venues and activities, ADNEC could become one of the largest venue operators in the area to claim comprehensive renewable backing for its event electricity needs.

This could also have a noticeable impact on marketability. Event organizers who are mindful of sustainability increasingly prefer venues that can demonstrate measurable reductions in emissions. ADNEC’s efforts to incorporate renewable energy and sustainable practices could strengthen its reputation as a low-carbon destination and attract major international exhibitions and conferences, especially those that prioritize sustainability.

As these plans move forward, independent verification and consistent reporting will be key. Data and audit processes will be necessary to hold the company accountable and authenticate claims of zero-emission electricity use at future events. For the UAE’s MICE industry, the real challenge now is to go beyond power procurement, addressing travel, logistics, and material reuse, to genuinely deliver low-carbon large gatherings.