The UAE is expected to surpass its renewable energy goals for 2030, according to the International Energy Agency's (IEA) latest Renewables 2024 report.
The IEA highlighted that while the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region aims to reach a combined renewable capacity of 201 GW by 2030, the main-case forecast falls 26% short of this goal. However, some countries, including the UAE, are on track to exceed their targets.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Algeria contribute to nearly 60% of the region's total renewable energy ambitions. Despite a more optimistic outlook than last year, these countries are still expected to fall short of their 2030 targets. Nevertheless, the report indicates that regional growth could be 60% higher than forecast if key challenges are addressed.
The report outlines three primary challenges for the MENA region: speeding up auction processes for project approvals, improving regulatory environments for distributed solar energy, and encouraging more industrial electrification. In particular, the UAE has made significant strides in implementing legal frameworks for self-consumption of solar energy, although deployment remains limited in the commercial and residential sectors.
Solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity in the MENA region is forecast to grow by 84 GW by 2030, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE contributing over half of this expansion. Installed solar capacity in the region is expected to increase more than fourfold, raising its share of the energy mix from 2% to over 8%. The UAE’s leadership in renewable energy underscores its commitment to a sustainable future as part of the global transition to clean energy.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
