5:36 am - October 16, 2026Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority has begun a four-week Dubai autonomous transit trial at Bluewaters, testing driverless electric pods on a dedicated guideway that could shape future clean mobility links across the emirate. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on 11 October the start of a four-week trial of…
Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority will host the emirate’s first Dubai electric vehicle exhibition and conference from 10 to 12 November, with more than 300 participants and 10,000 visitors expected at the trade centre. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced on 4 October that it will organise the inaugural…
Holcim UAE and 44.01 have formally commissioned the UAE’s first industrial Fujairah carbon capture pilot, which stores cement plant CO2 in underground rock and gives heavy industry a working template for Net Zero 2050. Holcim UAE and carbon storage company 44.01 officially commissioned the UAE’s first live-condition carbon capture and…
The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi has introduced mandatory emissions verification rules requiring high-emitting facilities to register, report and use accredited verifiers under a new digital tracking system. The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD) has issued a resolution making emissions verification compulsory for facilities in the emirate’s highest-emitting sectors,…
UAE green sukuk issuance fell to zero in the first half of 2026, Moody’s said, down from 1.7 billion US dollars a year earlier, as GCC issuers pulled back and awaited a second-half recovery. UAE green sukuk issuance dropped to zero in the first half of 2026, according to a…
Emirates Water and Electricity Company projects Abu Dhabi carbon emissions falling by more than 45% by 2035, as solar capacity expands to over 35 gigawatts and battery storage reaches up to 15 gigawatts. Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) announced on 21 September a forecast cut in Abu Dhabi carbon…
Nasdaq-listed Beam Global has signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar City Free Zone to bring off-grid EV charging and energy storage technology into the Masdar City ecosystem in Abu Dhabi. Beam Global (Nasdaq: BEEM) and its regional arm, Beam Middle East, have signed a memorandum of understanding with Masdar…
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Abu Dhabi solar capacity is set to expand by 3GW a year, the emirate’s energy chief says, as its clean energy share hits 47% and desalination shifts to reverse osmosis by 2035. Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy has set out plans to add 3GW of solar capacity a year, backed by round-the-clock battery storage, as part of a decade-long shift that has already lifted the emirate’s clean energy share, including nuclear, from 1% to 47%. In a 17 September interview, department chairman Abdulla Humaid Al Jarwan said the emirate would keep expanding Abu Dhabi solar capacity while pushing almost all…
Emirates Biotech and United Arab Emirates University have opened a pilot plant near Al Ain that converts food waste to biogas and compost, testing whether packaging waste can be processed alongside it too. Emirates Biotech and United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) have launched a joint pilot project to convert food waste to biogas and compost at what they describe as the UAE’s first integrated organic-waste valorisation plant. Sited near UAEU’s Al Ain campus, the plant will process up to 40kg of organic waste a day. The partnership was launched at UAEU with value-chain stakeholders including the Emirates Environmental Group, Hotpack,…
Dubai Municipality has launched an Existing Buildings Greening Guide, giving owners, operators and investors a practical framework for green building retrofits that cut energy and water use and emissions. Dubai Municipality has launched an Existing Buildings Greening Guide across the emirate on 16 September, giving building owners, operators, consultants and investors a practical roadmap for green building retrofits that improve environmental and operational performance. The civic body said the guide supports its wider objectives for sustainable urban development and a better quality of life across Dubai. The guide sets out best practice for green building retrofits while balancing sustainability requirements…
The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative has signed a two-year partnership with the World Economic Forum to accelerate UAE water innovation and connect solutions with the financing and markets needed to scale them. The Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative announced on 15 September that it has signed a partnership agreement with the World Economic Forum to speed the adoption and deployment of practical water solutions, extending the Abu Dhabi initiative’s reach into the global water innovation ecosystem. The agreement runs for two years, through September 2028, and centres on closing a persistent gap between promising water technologies and the financing,…
Khalifa University has launched a UNESCO Chair on Global Water Resilience, uniting research, policy and industry to strengthen UAE water security ahead of the UN Water Conference in Abu Dhabi this December. Khalifa University has established the UNESCO Chair on Global Water Resilience, Innovation and Sustainable Solutions, a UAE-anchored platform intended to connect scientific research with policy and industry on water treatment, desalination, wastewater reuse and governance. The university announced the Chair on 30 June, framing it as a direct contribution to UAE water security ahead of the 2026 UN Water Conference, which the UAE co-hosts with Senegal in Abu…
Energy Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei told WAM the UAE has lifted its combined nuclear and renewables target to 35% by 2030-2031, saying new plants and private competition will deliver it.
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development wants to mobilise $2bn by 2030 through its Global Water Platform, half of it the Fund’s own money, to reach 10 million people with safe water. The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) has named the Abu Dhabi Global Water Platform as the main…
Hub71’s renewed Initiate programme draws over 5,500 applications, highlighting growing demand for structured early-stage startup support in Abu Dhabi, with new ventures like Prism56 exemplifying regional innovation and AI adoption. Hub71 is expanding its Initiate programme after attracting over 5,500 applications from founders in the very early stages of building…
Researchers at United Arab Emirates University have created a sustainable catalyst using desert sand, biochar from date pits, and nickel, offering a local solution for clean-energy technologies and resource efficiency. Researchers over at United Arab Emirates University have come up with a pretty interesting green catalyst. It’s made from desert…
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Startups in Abu Dhabi’s Hub71 ecosystem have raised more than $2.7bn since 2019, with its ClimateTech vertical part of a specialist strategy as the emirate works to diversify its economy. Startups based at Hub71, Abu Dhabi’s government-backed technology ecosystem, have raised more than $2.7bn (AED 9.9bn) since the platform opened in 2019, according to figures published on 8 June in the hub’s 2025 Impact Report. The same companies generated $1.5bn (AED 5.4bn) in revenue over the period. The totals mark a milestone in the emirate’s drive to build a diversified, innovation-led economy. The figures point to a startup base with…
Marafiq is set to build a new industrial desalination plant in Duqm, underscoring the growing importance of integrated water services for Oman’s emerging low-carbon heavy industry sector and supporting Meranti Green Steel’s ambitious project aiming for mid-2029 completion. Marafiq is gearing up to build a new industrial desalination plant in Duqm, which really highlights just how crucial water infrastructure has become for the region’s emerging low-carbon heavy industry sector. The Centralised Utilities Company for the Special Economic Zone at Duqm will handle the financing and development of this facility, and it’s meant to serve Meranti Green Steel’s upcoming iron project,…
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Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan opened the Economy Middle East Summit 2026 in Abu Dhabi, highlighting the UAE’s resilient economic model and calling for regional cooperation to navigate technological and environmental transitions. Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan kicked off the Economy Middle East Summit 2026 in Abu Dhabi on Thursday, taking the stage to argue that the UAE’s economic model could serve as a sort of template for the wider region, especially as it navigates through a period of uncertainty, technological upheaval, and the green transition. The event, held at Rosewood Abu Dhabi with the support of Abu…
Sungrow partners with Masdar to deliver the UAE’s first gigascale, round-the-clock renewable energy project in Abu Dhabi, combining 5.2 GW of solar with 19 GWh of storage to redefine regional clean energy prospects. Sungrow has recently entered into an agreement with Masdar to supply energy storage and photovoltaic inverter equipment for what the companies call the UAE’s very first gigascale, round-the-clock renewable energy project in Abu Dhabi. This initiative, developed by Masdar in collaboration with the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), aims to combine a hefty 5.2 gigawatts of solar PV capacity with a 19 gigawatt-hour battery energy storage…
First Abu Dhabi Bank surpasses 75% of its AED500 billion goal for climate-related projects between 2022 and 2025, bolstering the UAE’s green economy with significant investments across renewables, EVs, and low-carbon infrastructure. First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) recently announced that it has played a key role in financing sustainable and transition-focused projects valued at AED381 billion from 2022 through 2025. That’s already more than 75% of their goal to reach AED500 billion by 2030. Pretty impressive, right? This number was highlighted in a report featured by Sky News Arabia. It covers about 280 deals spread across 41 countries and encompasses…
The ongoing Middle East conflict is causing short-term delays and rising costs in renewable energy projects across the region, but is also prompting a strategic move towards local manufacturing to enhance energy resilience. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is already having a noticeable impact on the deployment of renewable energy initiatives across the region, even as it underscores the importance of cleaner energy sources for the long haul. According to an analysis from Rystad Energy, the immediate consequence appears to be a delay, somewhere in the range of three to twelve months, in active project pipelines. Interestingly enough,…
DHL Express partners with SAF One to secure 25,000 tonnes of unblended SAF annually from Bahrain’s first dedicated production site, marking a significant step towards regional decarbonisation and industrialising sustainable aviation fuel in the Gulf. DHL Express has stepped up its efforts to promote cleaner aviation fuels with a new long-term supply deal that will connect the Middle East’s first planned sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production site to its global network. According to a statement from DHL Group, the company has signed an offtake agreement with Dubai-based SAF developer SAF One, which will give DHL Express access to 25,000 metric…
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is ramping up its seawater reverse osmosis capacity to 120 million imperial gallons per day in 2026, marking a strategic move away from thermal desalination towards more energy-efficient, lower-emission methods. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is planning to add another 120 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) capacity throughout 2026, as part of its broader push toward cleaner, lower-emission water production methods in the emirate. In its first-quarter 2026 financial results, DEWA mentioned that it has already commissioned Block A of the Hassyan SWRO plant, which boosted its…
Khalifa University signs a deal with Italy’s Magaldi Power to explore the deployment of thermal energy storage technologies in the UAE, supporting the nation’s renewable energy transition and industrial decarbonisation efforts. Khalifa University’s Advanced Power and Energy Centre recently signed an agreement with Italy’s Magaldi Power S.p.A., aiming to explore how the company’s thermal energy storage technologies could be put to use in the UAE. This move adds another international dimension to the UAE’s ongoing clean energy efforts. The deal, which is essentially a consultancy service agreement, pairs one of the region’s leading research universities with a company that describes…
Emsteel’s collaboration with Gulf Cryo highlights the UAE’s advancing efforts to create a practical, integrated industrial carbon management market, moving beyond pilot projects towards a holistic decarbonisation ecosystem. Emsteel’s recent partnership with Gulf Cryo really underscores the UAE’s ongoing push to develop an industrial carbon management market, particularly as big-emission industries seek practical ways to lower their emissions without sacrificing competitiveness. The steel producer and the industrial gases firm have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on carbon capture and utilization (CCU) across Emsteel’s operations. According to both companies, this plan doesn’t just focus on capturing emissions at the…
Du has launched a specialised industrial AI platform in the UAE, leveraging sovereign cloud infrastructure and local partnerships to accelerate manufacturing innovation and digital independence. Du has taken another step forward in developing the UAE’s sovereign digital infrastructure with the launch of an industrial AI platform focused on manufacturers and heavy industry players , a move that really highlights how telecom companies in the Gulf region are moving beyond just providing connectivity. The platform was introduced during du’s participation in the fifth edition of Make It in the Emirates 2026. The event centered around themes like industrial localization, supply chain…
A pioneering German project funded by the UAE aims to test whether large-scale solar farms and artificial dunes can alter weather patterns in arid regions, potentially increasing rainfall and addressing water scarcity. German researchers are now posing a question that, honestly, sounds pretty much like something out of science fiction: could massive solar farms actually help produce rain in deserts? A project led by the University of Hohenheim is setting out to test whether, if built on a large enough scale and designed just right, photovoltaic parks might influence weather patterns in coastal dry areas. The effort is funded by…
