UAE partners with Khalifa University to develop AI tools for stable renewable energy grid

Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has teamed up with Khalifa University of Science and Technology in a partnership aimed at developing advanced software tools for grid management, as the UAE ramps up its efforts to shift toward low-carbon energy sources.

According to the announcement, the collaboration will focus on creating intelligent modules to help integrate huge-scale photovoltaic solar farms and battery storage systems into the power grid. The work will mainly center on forecasting and operational support, think tools that can predict sudden changes in solar output, estimate system inertia in real-time, and forecast frequency deviations along with suggestions on how to mitigate them. The partners mention that these capabilities are meant to improve operational decision-making and ensure system stability as more unpredictable, variable generation sources come online.

EWEC has outlined a pretty aggressive plan for engineering and procurement, it aims to reshape the water and power sectors pretty significantly. The company expects utility-scale solar capacity in the UAE to surpass 30 gigawatts by 2035, along with around 8 gigawatts of battery energy storage. They’re also aiming for almost zero emissions in water production by 2030, and for renewable and clean sources to cover 60% of Abu Dhabi’s energy needs. EWEC sees the new modeling and machine learning tools as a technological boost to this overall strategy, helping keep the power supply reliable even as the country pushes forward with decarbonization.

“This partnership with Khalifa University aligns perfectly with our mission,” said EWEC CEO Ahmed Ali Alshamsi in the announcement. “It also reflects our broader role in shaping the UAE’s energy future through strategic planning, deploying cutting-edge solar and battery storage, and moving toward near-zero emissions in water production via reverse osmosis.” He also mentioned that integrating advanced analytics and AI-based forecasting will help build capabilities for a water and power sector that’s ready for the future.

Khalifa University sees this collaboration as both applied research and a way to build national capacity. “We’re pleased to work with EWEC on this impactful project,” said President Professor Ebrahim Al Hajri. “It’s a great example of how academia can help solve real-world energy challenges,” he added. The project provides an opportunity to transfer expertise to Emirati engineers and grid operators while deploying deep-learning models at a large scale.

The initiative combines developing algorithms with a structured knowledge transfer package, think technical documentation, training sessions, and a multi-day workshop focused on operations. The agreement also emphasizes the importance of involving Emirati professionals in the project team and requires monthly reports on skills development and capacity-building efforts. These provisions tie into a broader national goal of nurturing local talent alongside technological advancements.

Industry experts note that forecasting, estimating inertia, and predicting frequency are increasingly vital to grid operations, especially as inverter-based resources make up a larger share of energy supply. With traditional synchronous generators being phased out, inertia and rapid frequency responses aren’t naturally available anymore. That’s where machine learning and advanced models come in, they can infer effective inertia, forecast short-term frequency trends, and suggest corrective actions. If validated and integrated properly into control-room workflows, these tools could significantly reduce operational risks and lower balancing costs.

The partners didn’t dive into specifics about model architectures, datasets, or exact timelines. But the announcement clarifies that these software modules are intended as advisory tools rather than autonomous control systems. Maintaining that clear boundary will be crucial for regulators and operators, especially as the resource mix becomes more complex and challenging to manage reliably.

This partnership also connects to several national targets. EWEC is supporting the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategy for 2035 and aligns with broader ambitions around energy and water security, including the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 initiative. Khalifa University views this as a way to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s knowledge economy, linking academic research directly with industry needs.

Setting the two apart, EWEC’s framing emphasizes strategic alignment and capacity development. The university’s statement, meanwhile, highlights practical problem solving and education. Both organizations present this as a national investment, more than just a commercial project.

As renewable energy sources keep expanding globally, utilities are increasingly turning to digital tools to support grid stability. This partnership positions Abu Dhabi among other utilities that are blending machine learning with traditional power-system engineering. Of course, for the UAE, the key challenge will be validating these models against real operational data, embedding the recommendations into control-room practices, and maintaining strong cybersecurity and governance around AI-driven advice.

Overall, the agreement marks a concrete step from policy ambitions to actual operational technology. If things move quickly, these tools could help the UAE keep expanding solar and battery capacity without sacrificing grid stability or the reliable operation of desalination plants. The emphasis on training and involving Emirati professionals also suggests that the project’s success will not just be measured by technical outputs but also by its ability to build long-term local expertise and capabilities.

Source: Noah Wire Services