Abu Dhabi continues to push for green power with Masdar initiative

Abu Dhabi’s ambitious Masdar project appears to be progressing rapidly, particularly in terms of its overall scope and ambition. Owned by the emirate’s Mubadala Development Co, it announced a joint venture in partnership with German power utility E.ON on January 19, with the goal of generating carbon credits via the UN’s Clean Development Mechanism, via projects in Asia and Africa. The newly formed company, E.ON Masdr Integrated Carbon (EMIC) is to start its operations later this quarter. According to E.ON officials, potential projects include reducing leakage from natural gas pipelines, gas flaring from oil wells and energy efficiency projects at industrial facilities.

Masdar is also looking to develop what will be one of the world’s most ambitious large-scale carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) projects, that will also serve to help maintain Abu Dhabi’s oil output via the use of enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The first phase is expected to begin by end 2014 and is being designed with the aim of capturing around 5Mta of CO₂, rising to 20Mta by 2020.

The company has also launched a venture capital arm and owns an 20 per cent stake in the ambitious 1000MW London Array off-shore wind project, as well as a 40 per cent stake in Torresol Energy, a leading concentrating solar power (CSP) company and Masdar PV, a leading thin-film and photovoltaic manufacturer.

Masdar city is currently under construction and when complete is expected to be home to 50,000 residents. It is being designed with the aim of being zero-carbon and being powered entirely by renewable energy, such the SHAMS 1, 1000MW CSP plant, which will begin construction in the first half of this year and is scheduled for completion in 2012. As a result of its commitment to renewable energy, the newly formed International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has chosen Masdar City as the site of its future headquarters. The Abu Dhabi government has provided US$15bn for the first of seven phases of development.