Day: September 5, 2022

ABU DHABI, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) has announced that it welcomed the successful hatching of over 200 Hawksbill turtles on the shorelines near the company’s Al Taweelah site in Abu Dhabi.

Hawksbill turtles are a critically endangered species of sea turtle that visit the UAE shorelines each year to lay their eggs.

Since 2011, nearly 106 Hawksbill turtles have laid eggs on the beach at EGA’s Al Taweelah beach and almost 7,000 baby turtles have hatched.

Salman Abdulla, EGA Executive Vice President of HSSEQ and Business Transformation, said, “The EGA Sustainability team monitors the beach throughout the nesting season. To minimise the risk of predation by any feral animals, daily inspections and the tracking of nesting patterns takes place and protective buffers to keep nests safe from harm have been installed. In addition, any waste that is washed up on the beach is removed by EGA to keep the beach clean and safe throughout the nesting season.”

Earlier this year, five critically-endangered Hawksbill turtles and one green turtle were released back into the sea after being rescued by EGA’s sustainability team and after being expertly cared for at the Jumeirah Group’s Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project at Burj Al Arab in Jumeirah. This rescue was part of the rehabilitation programme that is in cooperation with Dubai Wildlife Protection Office, Dubai Falcon Hospital, and the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory.

In 2021, EGA rescued and released back to the sea more than 40 turtle hatchlings after nest sites were damaged due to unusually high tides and other challenging weather conditions.

The average lifespan of a Hawksbill turtle ranges between 30 to 50 years and a female typically lays 100 to 150 eggs during each nesting season.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, In response to strong growth in passenger demand, Abu Dhabi Airports on Monday announced the launch of AUH Express, a new shuttle bus service that will run between Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Dubai until the end of the year.

Designed with passenger comfort and convenience in mind, the shuttle bus service provides easy access to Abu Dhabi International Airport’s airlines’ network who between them offer flights to over 100 destinations.

Francois Bourienne, Chief Commercial Officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said, “Passenger convenience has been the underlying driver behind the introduction of this shuttle service for guests during the peak travel season. Passenger traffic has also recovered strongly at Abu Dhabi International during 2022, and we anticipate further growth between now and the end of the year. As always, we are proud to serve as a key regional air hub and the emirate’s gateway to the world.

“We are confident that this shuttle service will enable travelers from Dubai and the Northern Emirates to make the most of our exceptional offers and fly to exclusive destinations at unrivalled prices comfortably through our fast-growing network of airline operators and destinations,” Bourienne added.

Pre-booking for AUH Express tickets is not required as passengers can purchase their tickets conveniently when boarding the bus at Ibn Battuta bus station and at the terminals in Abu Dhabi International Airport. The airport shuttle service is available 24/7 with a fare priced at only AED 35 per ride.

Source: Emirates News Agency

DUBAI, Innovative technologies to produce green hydrogen using clean and renewable energy are witnessing rapid developments and steady progress, and studies indicate that green hydrogen production will increase by 57 percent annually to reach 5.7 million tonnes in 2030.

The UAE aims to acquire 25 percent of the low-carbon hydrogen market, which is expected to reach more than US$400 billion. The green hydrogen project implemented by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) in cooperation with Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens Energy at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, is a key project in supporting the UAE’s efforts to achieve global competitiveness in the green hydrogen market.

Implementing the project, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to produce hydrogen using solar energy, the Solar Park contributes to achieving competitive prices in producing green hydrogen. The production of green hydrogen is mainly carried out through electrolysis using renewable energy sources. DEWA received the lowest solar energy prices (Levelised Cost of Energy) globally five consecutive times, making Dubai a global benchmark for solar power prices.

In addition to that, Dubai provides clear and stimulating regulatory and legislative frameworks, which encourage the private sector and global investors and developers to participate in clean and renewable energy projects, using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. DEWA has attracted investments of around AED40 billion through this model, which encourages value-added partnerships between the public and private sectors.

Experts highlighted the fact that the abundance of solar energy sources in Dubai and the strong banking systems in the emirate, in addition to the advanced infrastructure and major projects such as solar parks, ammonia production plants, aluminium and steel factories, Dubai’s attraction of the finest experts and specialists from all over the world, contribute to making the UAE and Dubai an energy leader. This also consolidates the national economy’s strength and diversity and develops the green hydrogen market in the UAE.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said that green hydrogen is one of the environmentally friendly energy sources. It represents one of the pillars of a sustainable future that depends on accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality. This achieves the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

“The Green Hydrogen project aligns with Dubai’s commitment to sustainability and its support for energy and climate change issues. It also supports the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to turn Dubai into a carbon-neutral economy by 2050, as well as DEWA’s strategy to diversify energy sources and increase investment by supporting innovation and research and development in energy storage technologies. This includes green hydrogen, which some describe as the ‘Fuel of the Future’ and will play an important role in the global energy mix and in combating the effects of global warming. The project supports the UAE Hydrogen Leadership Roadmap, which is a major driver for providing future solutions to climate change challenges and achieving the UAE’s leadership in hydrogen,” Al Tayer added.

Waleed bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, noted that DEWA had invited globally reputed consulting companies to submit their offers to develop an ambitious strategy for green hydrogen production. The objectives are to develop the green mobility sector, reduce carbon emissions from various industries, and generate electrical and thermal energy, producing water and other applications.

Source: Emirates News Agency