UAE advances energy diplomacy within BRICS with focus on smart grids, storage, and hydrogen

The United Arab Emirates has used its most recent engagement with BRICS on energy to highlight a broader strategic approach: combining international diplomacy with practical cooperation on grids, storage, hydrogen, and digital energy systems.

During a meeting of BRICS energy ministers hosted by India , which is in charge until 2026 , the UAE made it clear it remains committed to working with the bloc on issues like energy security, the shift towards cleaner systems, innovation, and sustainable development. The delegation was led by Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure.

The gathering was framed as a working meeting , rather than just a symbolic or showy event. According to the information released afterwards, the ministers focused on a few specific projects that are aimed at making energy systems more secure, affordable, and sustainable. That approach lines up quite well with the UAE’s recent policy messaging, which has often paired climate goals with a strong emphasis on reliability and investment.

One of the key outcomes was the launch of the BRICS Digital Centre of Excellence for Smart Grids and Energy Storage. This was established under the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform, and it’s meant to foster collaboration on smart grid tech, battery storage, digitalisation, capacity building, and knowledge sharing. It also aims to create a space for policy dialogue and pilot projects , testing out modern energy infrastructure ideas.

For the UAE, this launch fits into a domestic agenda that’s increasingly prioritising system flexibility just as much as simply increasing generation capacity. During the opening session, Al Olama pointed out that energy security now hinges more on the resilience of power systems and their ability to incorporate digital tech, artificial intelligence, and energy storage.

That idea hits home in the Gulf region, where governments are trying to manage the rapid growth in demand, increasingly hot summers, and rising electricity loads , all while expanding renewable power. Basically, in the UAE’s view, solar deployment alone isn’t enough anymore; storage options, smarter grids, and demand management are now pretty much central to the next stage of energy planning.

Al Olama also mentioned a pretty big renewable project under development in Abu Dhabi , a 5.2 GW solar plant combined with a 19 GWh battery storage system. The scale of this deal really shows how the UAE is trying to connect the dots between intermittent solar energy and long-duration storage , a combo that’s gaining serious interest in the global climate tech scene.

The meeting also produced a BRICS Hydrogen Value Chains Report, which was one of the main headline outcomes under India’s presidency. The report highlights areas where cooperation can happen in hydrogen , like investments, innovation, and building low-emission value chains. The UAE contributed to this effort through the BRICS Energy Working Group.

Hydrogen is turning into a critical part of the UAE’s broader industrial and climate strategies. Al Olama pointed out that the report builds on COP28’s outcomes and supports global efforts to scale up low-emission energy tech. He also outlined the UAE’s National Hydrogen Strategy 2050, which aims to develop an integrated ecosystem for production, transportation, storage, and industrial use.

That strategy is part of a bigger pattern in the UAE’s energy diplomacy. Instead of just positioning itself as a purely hydrocarbon exporter, the country has been increasingly showing itself as a hub for energy investment, technology deployment, and policy cooperation. Al Olama emphasised the UAE’s renewable energy investments in more than 70 countries, highlighting how extensively it has internationalised its clean energy footprint.

The UAE also pointed to the Global Energy Efficiency Alliance, an initiative it says is designed to foster international cooperation, knowledge exchange, and capacity building across the globe , all aimed at improving efficiency. For Gulf policymakers, efficiency remains one of the most straightforward tools to cut emissions while easing the strain on grids and fuel consumption.

The BRICS session wrapped up with the approval of several important documents, including guidelines on smart grids and energy storage, terms of reference for the BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform, the hydrogen value chains report, and a joint communiqué from the ministers. The UAE welcomed these outcomes and expressed its intention to keep collaborating through dialogue, joint projects, and sharing knowledge.

The country’s participation at this meeting also indicates a shift in its role within BRICS itself. The UAE officially became a member in August 2023 after its application was approved at the Johannesburg summit. Earlier that year, it had taken part in a Friends of BRICS meeting in Cape Town, and in December, it participated in an extraordinary BRICS Sherpas meeting in Durban as part of the accession process.

Since then, the UAE has aimed to be visible not only in energy forums but across the entire BRICS agenda, including economic discussions. In February 2024, it joined the first BRICS finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in São Paulo , where officials discussed topics like sustainable development, infrastructure finance, and international cooperation. This broader engagement suggests the UAE sees BRICS as a platform not just for economic diversification but also for boosting its long-term geopolitical influence.

For Abu Dhabi and the federal government, this latest energy meeting isn’t just about one or two agreements or documents. It’s part of a conscious effort to shape the international narrative on energy transition, focusing heavily on practical issues like infrastructure, storage, hydrogen, and digital systems.

That emphasis also aligns with the UAE Consensus , a framework agreed at COP28 , which the country continues to promote as a guiding principle for action. In BRICS, and in many other multilateral forums, the UAE is positioning itself not only as a participant but as a country that aims to help define how the energy transition actually takes shape.