Tested by war, Abu Dhabi charts its energy and water future

Electricity demand in Abu Dhabi surged to a record high in August, despite a summer exodus of residents, as the region's power grid faces an anticipated doubling of demand between 2025 and 2035, according to the Department of Energy Chairman, Abdulla Humaid Al Jarwan. To accommodate this growth, the emirate plans to invest 300 billion dirhams ($81.7 billion) by 2035 to expand capacity and transition to cleaner energy sources, Al Jarwan revealed.

The UAE, the Gulf nation most targeted by Iranian drones and missiles during the early stages of the conflict, successfully weathered the disruption, with no service interruptions, he added.

The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, a key source of electricity, withstood a drone attack in May and remains operational. Abu Dhabi aims to increase solar power generation, with the department targeting a 3 GW annual addition over the next decade, coupled with round-the-clock battery storage. Clean energy, including nuclear power, has grown from 1% to 47% of Abu Dhabi's power mix in the past decade.

This shift holds implications for water resources, as Abu Dhabi is transforming its desalination system to utilize reverse osmosis, which can run on electricity from any source. The aim is to make reverse osmosis the primary method for desalination by 2035, up from around a quarter in 2022, according to the Department of Energy.

Abu Dhabi is also leveraging its water and energy expertise to serve as a global soft power platform. The emirate plans to co-host the UN Water Conference in December with Senegal and host its inaugural Water and Power Week, which expects over 25,000 visitors. These initiatives aim to showcase Abu Dhabi's capabilities in addressing global water and energy challenges, as the UN describes the crisis as "water bankruptcy."

By demonstrating success in resilient water and energy systems, Abu Dhabi hopes to inspire the world and prove that water management is achievable.