UAE in-focus: Over 7m single-use plastic bottles saved through Dubai Can initiative

UAE in-focus: Over 7m single-use plastic bottles saved through Dubai Can initiative
Dubai Can has placed water fountains in public parks, beaches and popular tourist destinations (Shutterstock)
Short Url
Updated 20 February 2023
Follow

UAE in-focus: Over 7m single-use plastic bottles saved through Dubai Can initiative

UAE in-focus: Over 7m single-use plastic bottles saved through Dubai Can initiative

RIYADH: In line with Dubai’s commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and becoming a fully sustainable destination, Dubai Can, a citywide sustainability movement launched last year, has reduced the use of an equivalent of more than 7 million 500-ml single-use plastic water bottles in 12 months. 

The initiative sees participation from homes, offices, hotels and schools, with the installation of 50 fountains that give out free water in different locations.  

Dubai Can has placed water fountains in public parks, beaches and popular tourist destinations, with the help of its partners and sponsors.

All water fountains throughout the city adhere to the highest hygiene standards and provide clean and safe drinking water, which is tested in accordance with local, Gulf and World Health Organization standards.  

Yousuf Lootah, acting CEO of corporate strategy and performance sector at Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, said: “We are extremely proud of the progress the initiative has made, and we hope that during this year and beyond, the initiative will continue to encourage residents and tourists to adopt greener practices and lifestyle choices contributing to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33’s goal of consolidating Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top-3 global cities.” 

The initiative has inspired significant change at both the individual and community level over the past year, extending beyond the installation of fountains.

Its objective is to increase awareness of the harmful effects of single-use plastics and promote the use of reusable bottles not only at water fountains but also in homes, hotels and elsewhere, aiming to change people’s mindsets. 

Surge in business licenses 

Reflecting strong growth in its business sector, Abu Dhabi issued a total of 25,593 new economic licenses last year and renewed 73,212 licenses. 

Professional licenses witnessed an increase of 161 percent from 243 in 2021 to 635 in 2022. Tourism sector licenses grew to 181 in 2022 from 126 in 2021, an increase of 43.6 percent, while industrial sector licenses rose to 243 from 206 licenses in 2021, a 17.9 percent rise. 

“The continued growth of new and renewed economic licenses is a testament of the attractiveness of the business sector in Abu Dhabi despite geopolitical and economic challenges that affected confidence of investors and businesses around the globe,” said Rashed Abdulkarim Al-Balooshi, undersecretary of Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development. 

According to the Business Activity Report issued by the Abu Dhabi Business Center, 23,947 commercial sector licenses were issued in 2022, comprising 93.5 percent of total new licenses. Five hundred and sixty occupational and 25 agricultural, livestock and fishery sector new licenses were issued in 2022.  

Dubai's DIFC has about 60 hedge fund firms waiting to be licensed - governor

The Dubai International Financial Centre has about 60 hedge fund firms, with north of a trillion dollars in assets under management, waiting to be licensed, the governor of the emirate's financial freezone said on Monday.

The hedge fund industry is capitalising on new rules and regulations that have been developed to support the sector, which is one of the sources of DIFC's growth, Essa Kazim told reporters in a news conference. "A few have already been licensed," he added.

Millennium Management, ExodusPoint Capital Management and BlueCrest established a presence in Dubai last year, just three of the many funds attracted by lower licensing fees and capital requirements for the industry.

The DIFC registered record breaking growth last year, with the number of active companies in the Gulf's financial hub up by a fifth year on year to 4377, driven by fintech and innovation firms, Kazim said. The number of people employed at the DIFC rose 22% to 63083 workers, he added.


Closing Bell: Saudi main index loses 48 points to close at 11,144 

Closing Bell: Saudi main index loses 48 points to close at 11,144 
Updated 14 sec ago
Follow

Closing Bell: Saudi main index loses 48 points to close at 11,144 

Closing Bell: Saudi main index loses 48 points to close at 11,144 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index turned red on Tuesday, as it shed 47.56 points, or 0.42 percent, to close at 11,143.83.  

The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR5.86 billion ($1.56 billion) as 98 of the stocks advanced, while 119 declined.  

The Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, also slipped with the index shedding 97.22 points to close at 24,003.59.  

The MSCI Tadawul Index edged down by 0.46 percent to close at 1,433.85.  

The top performers on the main index were mainly insurance firms, with the best-performing stock being Saudi Enaya Cooperative Insurance Co. The company’s share price soared by 9.90 percent to SR15.32. 

Other top performers on the main index were LIVA Insurance Co. and Amana Cooperative Insurance Co. whose share prices surged by 8.56 percent and 8.32 percent, respectively.  

The worst performer of the day was Development Works Food Co., as its share price tumbled by 9.79 percent to SR118.  

Meanwhile, the share price of Riyadh Cement Co., which started its trading on the main market today, went up by 0.14 percent to SR34.85.  

The best performers on the parallel market were Naseej for Technology Co. and Bena Steel Industries Co. whose share prices edged up by 11.86 percent and 8.78 percent, respectively.  

On the announcements front, KEIR International Co. said it has signed a 21-month contract worth SR48 million with National Grid SA to connect Al-Aridh Bulk Supply Point with the 132-kilovolt network in Riyadh.  

According to a Tadawul statement, KEIR International will carry out tasks related to high-voltage 132 kV underground cable installation, station protection, communications, and the implementation of remote-control systems.  

The company further noted that the financial impact of this deal will be visible from the first quarter of 2024 until the fourth quarter of 2025.  

KEIR International added that there are no related parties to the deal.  


ROSHN targets doubling energy efficiency of homes

ROSHN targets doubling energy efficiency of homes
Updated 2 min 57 sec ago
Follow

ROSHN targets doubling energy efficiency of homes

ROSHN targets doubling energy efficiency of homes

DUBAI: Saudi Arabia’s national real estate developer ROSHN is targeting a 50 percent reduction in its homes’ energy bills, according to a company head.

The firm’s Director of Sustainability Waleed Al-Ghamdi spoke with Arab News on the sidelines of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, noting that the company is averaging 18 percent less energy consumption compared to the required building code in the Kingdom.

As a subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund, the entity has been mandated to develop sustainable urban communities with about 400,000 homes as part of the Vision 2030 plan laid by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Al-Ghamdi said: “Our typical buildings or typical homes that we design, our customers save on average about 18 percent energy compared to the Saudi building code. 

“So, we are above and beyond what the legal requirements are. The same applies to water. The same applies to our accessibility to public spaces and proximity to daily services.” 

To attain a 50 percent decrease goal, the company is facilitating purchasing agreements for new technologies and partnerships while ensuring that the purchasing price for the customer remains unaffected.

The company’s presence at COP28, as part of the region’s delegation, serves as a means to “keep abreast of what is happening on the global scene,” said the director.

“We build communities within existing cities. So our integration is important in addition to scouting and understanding what’s happening with friends and peers and vendors and suppliers, and also being abreast of what the trends are moving forward, specifically when it comes to decarbonization and also financing of those,” Al-Ghamdi added.

The company is mandated to build infrastructure and public amenities alongside the homes within its developments. This leads to a large supply chain that depends significantly on multiple vendors, and enforcing sustainability standards down the supply chain proves to be a challenge, he explained.

“Sustainability in the supply chain is not something easy for any company globally to manage. But one of the ways that we try to manage that is through signing certain partnerships with the suppliers and vendors within the region and helping them improve,” said Al-Ghamdi.


ENOWA to develop world’s first high-voltage smart grid

ENOWA to develop world’s first high-voltage smart grid
Updated 24 min 23 sec ago
Follow

ENOWA to develop world’s first high-voltage smart grid

ENOWA to develop world’s first high-voltage smart grid

DUBAI: NEOM’s water and electricity subsidiary ENOWA has developed a blueprint for the world’s first renewable, high-voltage smart grid, Peter Terium, the company’s CEO, told Arab News.

In an interview on the sidelines of the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, Terium said that the “grid of microgrids” will allow ENOWA to supply the NEOM region with sizable, 100 percent renewable electricity that simultaneously provides a 50 percent reduction of the corridor footprint.

According to the CEO, the principle of smart grids is simple, as they are traditionally used on a small scale in buildings. However, the sheer size of the development and the scope of coverage needed for the nine to 10 million individuals who will be residing in NEOM adds to the difficulty of the undertaking.

“That’s a huge achievement given it’s the size that makes it complex. You know, one windmill, a refrigerator, and a television are all 100 percent renewable. But a NEOM within the Kingdom that eventually is going to have nine to 10 million inhabitants. That’s very sizable,” Terium said.

In order to ensure minimum disturbance to the natural terrain and minimize visual disruption, the CEO noted that this would require limiting the number of corridors and implementing part of the grid to operate underground.

To achieve 100 percent renewable electricity in NEOM, Terium emphasized the crucial role of an efficient grid, highlighting that individuals often underestimate that all solar and wind farms require connectivity to “bring the electrons to the customer.”

Another key element, the CEO underscored, is storage. In order to ensure the stabilization, backup, and security of its renewable supply, the giga-project is implementing a portfolio of storage solutions.

The development is investing “billions and billions of Saudi riyals” to ensure that its first customers have access to green electricity, sustainable water, and reliable quality electricity through its grid and storage.

“One example is already for sure and we are expanding into the market with that, which is the world’s largest closed-loop pump, hydro storage, and it combines the traditional form of water-based hydro storage, so a small upper lake and a lower lake,” Terium said.

“That has two effects. First of all, it reduces the evaporation of the water. So that’s an economic effect. But the second effect is that it is a great attractor for birds. Birds and wildlife. So we have a major positive solution for storage that is pretty sizable, the largest in the world,” he added.

Considering the challenges ahead, the CEO highlighted that the development isn’t exclusively centered on creating new technologies. Instead, their key focus is to ensure that the electricity supplied to the NEOM region is renewable, dependable, and affordable.

While not entirely cheap, mature large-scale solar and wind technologies remain affordable, underscored Terium, and will thus be primarily implemented into the framework of connectivity used by the futuristic city.

“The NEOM region has a combination of very intensive solar irradiation and very abundant wind profiling — the solar during the day and the wind mainly in the evening. That makes it a perfect combination to take these two cheapest renewable technologies and get as much as possible out of them,” he outlined.

While the existing infrastructure for electricity amounted to half a gigawatt to 1 GW, the company has “ramped that up” to 3 GW with the aim of 5-6 GW in the near future.

According to Terium, the first tenders of solar and wind power plants have already been established, and the large green hydrogen plant being built will amount to 5-6 GW of installed capacity for power generation by the year 2026.

Due to the size of the NEOM development, the executive underscored that ENOWA is currently at about 5 percent completion of its infrastructure, with the goal of accelerating to 10 percent in the coming 12 to 18 months.

He said: “NEOM is going to be a large undertaking. And what we do is build the infrastructure in line with the growth of NEOM. So that’s why the percentage of 5 or 10 percent sounds low, but it is connected to the size, eventually, of NEOM. And then again, five or 10 eventually of a massive undertaking is already a huge project.”

The company is working with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Energy and collaborating with entities like the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology in its energy-centric ventures. Alongside KAUST, ENOWA will be installing the first carbon capture capacity into a gas-fired plant in the Kingdom. The executive said: “That is one example, but there are many other ones and all the institutions that are there in the Kingdom we work with, but also outside of the Kingdom.”

Through collaboration, it hopes to bring some of its ideas on how to scale renewable energy to the region through its renewable energy approaches and Saudi Arabia’s green hydrogen strategy, a part of which is the NEOM green hydrogen plant.

Terium said: “The Kingdom has now embarked upon a hydrogen strategy and a renewable energy strategy, but it may take advantage of some of the lessons learned that we had in the early stage. And we can bring in some of our ideas of how you can do that bigger and at a larger scale.”

What is important, according to the CEO, is that hydrogen needs to reach its customers, and there are more cost-effective solutions than shipping it in the form of ammonia.

Thus the decision to build a pipeline corridor infrastructure to Europe is something “that only a country like Saudi Arabia can do because that’s a job and a size which is even way too big for even NEOM.”


Saudi Arabia, UK ink deal to strengthen marine environmental protection

Saudi Arabia, UK ink deal to strengthen marine environmental protection
Updated 56 min 45 sec ago
Follow

Saudi Arabia, UK ink deal to strengthen marine environmental protection

Saudi Arabia, UK ink deal to strengthen marine environmental protection

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and the UK have signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance cooperation in marine environmental protection. 

The agreement was signed at the Saudi Green Initiative forum on the sidelines of the UN Climate Change Conference on Monday by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture and UK’s Center for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. 

“The MoU promotes cooperation in the field of marine environmental protection according to the available resources of each participant and in line with their respective regulations and legislation in force,” said the Saudi ministry said in a statement. 

Saudi Arabia and the UK will also cooperate in areas which include the protection, monitoring, evaluation, and preservation of the marine environment and its resources, while also ensuring aquatic biodiversity. 

The deal will also see both countries working together to reduce the pollution in Saudi Arabia’s territorial waters. 

According to the MoU, Saudi Arabia and the UK will also cooperate in areas of climate change science and will partner in efforts to strengthen the marine ecosystem in the Kingdom. 

On Dec.1, Saudi Arabia earned a place on the 40-member council of the International Maritime Organization for 2024-2025. 

The Kingdom’s feat of finding a spot in the 40-member council is considered very significant, as IMO is a global maritime authority that sets the international standards designed to ensure the safety and security of maritime transport, reduce pollution from ships, and implement initiatives that help preserve the marine environment and protect nature.

Saudi Arabia’s Transport General Authority said that the selection to the council is the recognition of the initiatives the Kingdom has adopted to protect and preserve the marine environment. 

“The win serves as a confirmation of the Kingdom’s influential position and impact within the (IMO), the significant role of the Saudi naval fleet, ambitious initiatives and projects aligned with the national strategy for transportation and logistical services, and contributions and initiatives in safeguarding the marine environment and empowering seafarers,” TGA said in an X post. 

In August, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Saudi minister of environment, water and agriculture said that the Kingdom is committed to amplifying its efforts to mitigate marine pollution and address ecological concerns faced by the region.


Saudi Arabia seeking further digital advancements in Silicon Valley 

Saudi Arabia seeking further digital advancements in Silicon Valley 
Updated 05 December 2023
Follow

Saudi Arabia seeking further digital advancements in Silicon Valley 

Saudi Arabia seeking further digital advancements in Silicon Valley 

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is pursuing additional global partnerships to bolster its already robust digital infrastructure as the minister of communications and information technology met with senior officials from Silicon Valley. 

Discussions between Abdullah bin Amer Al-Swaha and Antonio Neri, president and CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise, were held on Dec. 5 to enhance local content and contribute to the growth of the Kingdom’s digital economy. 

The meeting focused on extending the strategic partnership into modern technology, cloud computing, and the localization of servers, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency.

The minister highlighted Saudi Arabia’s potential for a strong digital infrastructure and its status as the largest market in the region. Talks also centered around the exploration of collaboration and partnership opportunities across various sectors. 

Al-Swaha also met with ServiceNow CEO Bill McDermott and Cohere CEO Martin Kon to discuss partnership opportunities in emerging technologies and artificial intelligence.

These talks affirm Saudi Arabia’s position as a key regional technology and innovation hub, with efforts underscoring the region’s commitment to fostering the expansion of a dynamic digital economy, aligning with the goals outlined in Saudi Vision 2030.