Electricity in United Arab Emirates in 2021
As per the data of 2021, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is significantly dependent on fossil fuels, specifically gas, which accounts for approximately 89% of the country's total electricity consumption. The balance is powered by low-carbon energy sources, making up little over 11% of the total. These low-carbon sources are comprised of nuclear energy, accounting for just above 7%, and solar energy, making up close to 4%. Evidently, the contribution of biofuels and oil-based electricity generation is virtually non-existent in UAE.
Suggestions
Although being a net exporter of electricity, UAE can augment its low-carbon power generation by observing practices and strategies from other nations. Considering its landscape and location, nuclear and solar energy appear as the most viable options for UAE. For instance, France and Ukraine are generating above 50% of their electricity from nuclear power. On a more comparable scale, South Korea generates 28% of its electricity from nuclear power. Additionally, adopting effective strategies in solar energy generation from countries like Chile and Yemen, both generating 17% of their electricity from solar, could further steer UAE towards clean energy adoption.
History
The journey of low-carbon electricity in UAE notably began in 2013, when the country started producing solar energy, though the initial contribution was minimal. For instance, solar energy production rose from 0 TWh in 2012 to 0.1 TWh the following year, demonstrating the nation's incremental steps towards clean energy. This pattern continued until 2018, which then spiked dramatically in the following years, reaching 2.5 TWh in 2019. Meanwhile, nuclear energy, which was nonexistent in 2016, saw a jump in 2020, producing 1.6 TWh. This increased drastically to 8.9 TWh in the following year. These figures illustrate UAE's strong commitment to increase its reliance on low-carbon energy sources for electricity generation.