3 PAIRING COAL WITH SOLAR: THE UAE’S FRAGMENTED …
61
Canada
Finland
y
a
w
r
o
N
d
n
a
l
e
c
I
United Arab
Emirates
United States
0
20
40
60
80
100
Share of fossil fuels in electricity producƟon (%)
Canada
Finland
Iceland
Norway
United Arab Emirates
United States
Fig. 3.2 Share of fossil fuels in electricity production. The UAE’s electricity
production is dominated by fossil fuels, in comparison with smaller amounts used
in other high per capita consuming countries. However, much of the non-fossil
generation depicted here depends on large hydropower and nuclear resources
which are less intermittent than competing renewable technologies (IEA 2019)
amounts of oil-based fuel and an even smaller amount of solar power
(Table 3.1/Fig. 3.3).
The power sector was to have been diversified by 2018 with the startup
of Abu Dhabi’s $25 billion Barakah nuclear power plant. However, problems emerged that delayed construction for three years. These included
discovery of counterfeit parts supplied using forged safety documents 12 as
Table 3.1 UAE primary energy and power generation by fuel
% of 2018 primary energy
consumption
% of 2018 power generation
Natural gas
59
98
Oil
40
1.2
Coal
0.94
0
Renewables
0.19
0.7
Source BP 2019
61
Canada
Finland
y
a
w
r
o
N
d
n
a
l
e
c
I
United Arab
Emirates
United States
0
20
40
60
80
100
Share of fossil fuels in electricity producƟon (%)
Canada
Finland
Iceland
Norway
United Arab Emirates
United States
Fig. 3.2 Share of fossil fuels in electricity production. The UAE’s electricity
production is dominated by fossil fuels, in comparison with smaller amounts used
in other high per capita consuming countries. However, much of the non-fossil
generation depicted here depends on large hydropower and nuclear resources
which are less intermittent than competing renewable technologies (IEA 2019)
amounts of oil-based fuel and an even smaller amount of solar power
(Table 3.1/Fig. 3.3).
The power sector was to have been diversified by 2018 with the startup
of Abu Dhabi’s $25 billion Barakah nuclear power plant. However, problems emerged that delayed construction for three years. These included
discovery of counterfeit parts supplied using forged safety documents 12 as
Table 3.1 UAE primary energy and power generation by fuel
% of 2018 primary energy
consumption
% of 2018 power generation
Natural gas
59
98
Oil
40
1.2
Coal
0.94
0
Renewables
0.19
0.7
Source BP 2019