Renewable energy has lately gained increasing interest all over the world. In 2020, global investments in this sector increased by 9%, compared to 2019, to reach 502 billion dollars, according to Bloomberg. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic and its consequences, 303 billion dollars were invested in solar projects, 50 billion in wind energy projects and about 139 billion in electric vehicles.
This growth seems corollary of the boost, which this sector saw in the years from 2010 to 2019, in which global investments in renewable energy reached 2.6 billion dollars, according to the Global Trends in Renewable Energy Investment 2019 report. As a result, the ability to produce electricity from renewable resources (except from large hydropower plants) has almost quadrupled (from 414 gigawatts to 1.650 gigawatts over a decade).
The UAE has increasingly shown interest in new and renewable sources in its efforts to achieve sustainability. Depending on renewable energy is actually part of UAE leaders' vision. Not only is the UAE contributing to the process of global innovation aiming for popularizing renewable energy and dealing with climate change, but it is also playing an important role in achieving UN sustainable energy goals 2030. This vision is strongly reflected in Expo 2020 Dubai, where renewable energy is one of the most important themes.
Solar energy in Expo
Expo 2020 Dubai's agenda shows that it is meant to be the most sustainable Expos, so to speak. In addition to exploring opportunities of achieving comprehensive and sustainable development and supporting innovation-based economy, Expo 2020 regards clean energy solutions as one of its top priorities. Even the power resources used in all Expo's buildings and facilities are clean ones.
In this respect, Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) allocated about 4.3 billion dirhams to supplying Expo with electricity and water, using smart systems in Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum solar energy complex, which provides the Expo's facilities with 464 megawatts of electricity.
In addition, clean energy is a main source of power in Terra, the sustainability pavilion, which is one of the most pavilions of the Expo 2020. Terra is a 12000 sqm- pavilion covered with a 130-wide canopy made of 4.912 solar panels, and surrounded by 18 energy trees. Together, these sources will annually contribute 4 GWhs.
Clean energy is not only used in Expo's facilities; it is also used in the pavilions of the countries participating in Expo, each of which did its best to come up with clean-energy-related innovations, in order to stress its productivity and competitiveness in this area. It is noteworthy that renewable, clean energy secures more than 50% of the electrical needs of all the buildings, facilities and pavilions of the six-month fair. Besides, clean energy will also be the main form of energy used in the facilities and buildings which will remain after Expo is over. These are about 80% of the existing buildings and facilities.
Green hydrogen in Expo
Green hydrogen is a major energy source in Expo 2020, which includes a solar-powered green-hydrogen facility, the first of its kind in the Middle East and the North Africa. The facility is the outcome of collaborative efforts of DEWA and Siemens, as part of the initiative to achieve carbon neutrality for the UAE.
Expo's opting for green hydrogen is in line with global efforts to enhance the use of this clean energy source, as it highlights the importance of international cooperation to replace non-renewable sources of energy with such clean, environment-friendly ones as green hydrogen. This is by no means an easy task. Though there are about 320 pilot projects to produce green hydrogen around the world, it is still not possible to reduce the cost of generating electricity through it. It is estimated that the cost of the power currently produced through green hydrogen is estimated to be between 3 to 6.5 USD per kilogram.
Therefore, Expo 2020's interest in green hydrogen will enhance international efforts to popularize this clean energy option and reduce the cost of its production. Furthermore, it will motivate global corporations and entities to develop more technologies facilitating its use, so that it can be strong and reliable enough to replace fossil fuel. This, as we already said, is quite a challenge, since the cost of producing one kilogram of energy from fossil fuel is one third to one sixth of the cost of producing the same amount of energy from green hydrogen.
Global partnership in clean energy
Generally speaking, intensive use of renewable energy in Expo 2020 is not simply an attempt to practice what Expo preaches; it is actually part of the comprehensive, long-term vision of the UAE. It is not insignificant that the permanent headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) are in Abu Dhabi. More than 170 countries are members of IRENA, which makes this agency a major platform for international cooperation in the area of developing technologies, financing projects, coordinating policies and building capabilities that have to do with renewable energy.
As Expo 2020 is the biggest international event since the outbreak of the Coronavirus crisis (let alone the fact that it is the most important international event to be held in the Middle East), it is a major platform for introducing innovative clean energy solutions, enhancing international policies pertaining to it, and coordinating international efforts promoting its use, especially in underprivileged countries. Besides, as Expo is expected to receive about 25 million visitors from various countries, it will help to spread international awareness of the important role of renewable energy in achieving development and enhancing efforts to contain and combat climate change.
In conclusion, Expo 2020, which involves launching important initiatives, new technologies and important investments in the renewable energy sector, embodies the UAE's vision for a world where all countries join hands to achieve progress depending on cleaner sources of energy, such as solar power, wind power and green hydrogen, among other sources. This makes Expo 2020 a global partner in the quest for clean energy and a more environment- friendly industrial world.
