In 2023, fossil fuels supplied about 72% of electricity consumed in the United Arab Emirates, entirely from gas. Low-carbon sources provided the remaining 28%, with nuclear supplying about one-fifth of electricity and solar about 8%. Clean electricity therefore already makes a substantial contribution, although gas still accounts for almost three-quarters of the electricity mix. Expanding low-carbon generation can reduce the climate-changing emissions and air pollution associated with fossil fuels.

Is Electricity Growing in United Arab Emirates?

Electricity consumption per person is growing, but total consumption growth cannot be determined from these per-person figures alone. In 2023, consumption reached a new record of about 15,500 kWh per person, roughly 260 kWh—or 2%—above the previous record set in 2021. Low-carbon electricity generation grew much more strongly, reaching about 4,300 kWh per person, up approximately 1,600 kWh—or 59%—from its previous record in 2022. This strong clean-electricity growth is encouraging and provides a foundation for meeting additional demand from electrification and AI.

Suggestions

The United Arab Emirates should expand its existing nuclear generation while accelerating solar deployment. France, where nuclear supplies about two-thirds of electricity, demonstrates the scale of contribution nuclear can make. For solar, the sunny US states of Nevada and Arizona offer useful reference points: solar supplies about 35% and 19% of their electricity, respectively, compared with 8% in the UAE. Their experience can inform large-scale solar development and grid integration. Wind could also complement nuclear and solar where local conditions are suitable; Morocco, where wind supplies about one-fifth of electricity, offers a regional example worth studying. Together, these approaches would support a larger, cleaner electricity supply.

History

The UAE’s low-carbon electricity expansion began gradually with solar: the listed years from 2009 to 2011 showed no increase, followed by small gains in 2013 and 2014. Growth accelerated in the late 2010s, with solar adding 0.4 TWh in 2017, 0.6 TWh in 2018 and 2.4 TWh in 2019. From 2020 through 2023, nuclear became a major driver of expansion, adding about 2, 9, 10 and 12 TWh in successive years. Solar continued growing throughout that period, culminating in a 6 TWh increase in 2023, when wind also added 0.1 TWh. Biofuels recorded no change in 2022 or 2023. Overall, the early 2020s marked a remarkable acceleration in clean electricity generation, led by nuclear and solar.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade