Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) 2025 commenced under the auspices of Shaikh Mohamed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, with a series of announcements that could redefine the global energy landscape.
During the opening ceremony, Dr Sultan bin Ahmed al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, unveiled the world’s first integrated renewable energy and battery storage facility. This project is designed to provide uninterrupted, large-scale renewable energy around the clock in Abu Dhabi. The facility reflects the UAE leadership’s unwavering commitment to tackling the “moonshot challenge” of renewable energy intermittency.
This innovative project, a strategic collaboration between Masdar and the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), is the largest of its kind globally.
It combines 5.2 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) power with 19 gigawatt-hours of battery storage to deliver 1 GW of continuous baseload renewable energy, setting a new global benchmark for sustainable energy production. In his keynote speech, Dr Al Jaber called for global unity among stakeholders, industries, and governments to harness collective strength for sustainable economic growth and unlock unparalleled opportunities.
“We are at the nexus of next—a defining moment that can accelerate socio-economic progress fuelled by global megatrends,” Dr Al Jaber stated. He highlighted how the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and the expansion of emerging markets are driving global power demand from 9,000 GW today to over 15,000 GW by 2035, with projections reaching 35,000 GW by 2050. Despite advancements in renewable energy, Dr Al Jaber stressed that the surge in global energy demand requires a diverse range of energy solutions.
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