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    OPINION                                                                   MAY 08, 2026     |  The Indian Eye 13

            to its key goal of achieving net-zero
            emissions by 2050. The operational
            plant provides about 25 per cent of
            the UAE’s electricity.
                The UAE is linking water se-
            curity to the clean energy transition
            through a desalination project com-
            missioned by DEWA and ACWA.
            Veolia, a world leader in water tech-
            nology, will provide engineering ser-
            vices and key technologies. The plant
            is expected to begin its operations in
            2026 and will reach full capacity in
            2027. With a total capacity of 818,000
            cubic metres per day (180 MIGD),
            which is enough to provide potable
            water to two million people daily, it
            will be the world’s largest desalina-
            tion solar power plant and second
            largest reverse osmosis facility world-
            wide.
                The core strength of the UAE’s
            renewable energy transition mod-
            el lies in foreign collaboration and
            international expansion. Through
            foreign technology partnerships and
            cross-border  financing,  the  UAE
            has successfully set the direction us-  The core strength of the UAE’s renewable energy transition model lies in foreign collaboration and international expansion (File photo)
            ing domestic credibility to become a
            global hub for clean energy solutions
            while simultaneously diversifying its   West Asia. Joint ventures also allow   Environmental conditions pose   leadership will continue to be judged
            energy economy. The UAE seeks to   countries to cooperate through com-  another limitation. Because so-  against the scale and pace of its wider
            expand its global presence in the re-  plementarity. In April  2026, Adani   lar cells are affected by operating   fossil-fuel policy. The country’s stra-
            newable energy sector through out-  Green Energy Ltd.’s UAE-based   temperature, the UAE’s hot, arid   tegic success will depend on whether
            ward investment, demonstrating the   arm signed a joint venture agreement   climate  reduces  their  efficiency.   it can sustain both economic realism
            country’s contribution to promoting   with Minerva to develop renewable   Therefore, the UAE’s success de-  and climate credibility without com-
            clean power and decarbonization in   projects in India. Under the agree-  pends not only on commissioning   promising one over the other.
            the region and across the globe.  ment, Adani Green Energy Ltd. will   solar plants but also on developing   The UAE’s renewable transi-
                International collaborations are   invest up to a 20 per cent stake in   technologies and maintenance sys-  tion is best understood as an ongo-
            extremely  significant  in  the  UAE’s   Minerva Renewables Holding RSC   tems suited to the region’s climate.   ing strategic project rather than a
            renewable energy policy. One key   Limited (JVCo). This partnership   The other challenges range from   completed transformation. Its sig-
            example is Masdar, the world’s    will improve India’s operational effi-  policy and regulatory barriers to   nificance  lies  in  the  fact  that  it  has
            largest owner and operator of re-  ciency in clean energy and support its   technological  hurdles,  insufficient   already changed the terms of energy
            newable energy, which supports the   commitment to sustained growth in   battery energy storage systems, and   policy in the Gulf by demonstrating
            UAE in strengthening its position in   the renewable energy sector.  land-use concerns. The gap between   that clean energy can serve not only
            a fast-growing energy market. As in   Despite notable achievements   policy  expectations  and the  actual   environmental goals, but also state
            the UAE, in partnership with Emir-  and impressive progress, the UAE’s   potential for implementation can be   resilience,  economic  diversification
            ates Water and Electricity Company   renewable energy transition faces   bridged through public awareness,   and geopolitical influence. The scale
            (EWEC),  Masdar  is  set  to  imple-  structural limitations. The gap be-  technological advancements and   of the UAE’s projects remains a dis-
            ment its biggest project to date with   tween project success and industrial   knowledge exchange. For that, Abu   tinguishing feature of its energy poli-
            the capital investment of more than   depth reinforces the idea that the   Dhabi should have a portfolio of   cy. The integration of finance, diplo-
            AED 22 billion. The project, to be   UAE needs to build an industrial   renewable energy technologies that   macy and clear roadmaps has made
            completed in 2027, aims to combine   ecosystem grounded in indigenous   are economically feasible, domesti-  the UAE an emerging global leader
            a 5.2 GW solar PV plant with a 19   technological capabilities. The UAE   cally manufactured, and contribute   in clean energy.
            GWh battery energy storage system   has become a world-class developer   to energy efficiency.
            to provide clean power generation   and investor. Still, strategic resilience   Another  challenge  lies  in  bal-  Warisha Wasi is a Research Intern
            and supply.                       in the long run will also require capa-  ancing  hydrocarbon  continuity  with   at the West Asia Centre of Manohar
                Another UAE-based developer,   bilities in manufacturing, digital sys-  the credibility  of  the  transition  to   Parrikar IDSA, New Delhi
            Global South  Utilities,  is also  ex-  tems, critical technology services and   green leadership. The UAE remains   Views expressed are of the author and
            panding its presence through part-  innovative research. UAE’s Hydro-  a major  oil and gas producer,  and   do not necessarily reflect the views of
            nerships and collaborations, particu-  gen policy, however, partly addresses   its transition strategy is designed   the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
            larly in developing regions. Providing   this hurdle through plans for supply   in  part  to  preserve  that  position  by   Government of India
            renewable energy access through the   chain management and an R&D   decarbonising domestic consump-
            development of a US$ 200 million   centre. The implementation of these   tion and redirecting hydrocarbons   The full version of this article first ap-
            solar industrial complex in Egypt   policies will determine the UAE’s   towards exports and petrochemical   peared in the Comments section of the
            and a 200 MW plant in Madagascar   success in becoming a low-cost proj-  value chains. This  is rational from   website (www.idsa.in) of Manohar Par-
            is leading to providing clean energy   ect host and a diversified clean-ener-  a national-strategy standpoint, but   rikar Institute for Defense Studies and
            infrastructure solutions in Africa and   gy economy.                it also means that the UAE’s green   Analyses, New Delhi, on April 28, 2026

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