UAE- Masdar and Bee'ah to partner on Waste to Energy initiatives in region

ABU DHABI 20th January 2016 (WAM) -- Masdar Abu Dhabi's renewable energy company has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Sharjah's environment company Bee'ah to develop the UAE's waste to energy sector.

Masdar and Bee'ah are joining forces to co-develop Waste to Energy initiatives in Sharjah the UAE and the region. This partnership will help contribute to the UAE Government's Vision 2021 which targets among other goals diverting waste from landfills by 75% by 2021.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber UAE Minister of State and Chairman of Masdar and Salim Al Owais Chairman of Bee'ah signed the agreement today at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in the presence of Khaled Al Huraimel Group CEO of Bee'ah and Dr. Ahmad Belhoul CEO of Masdar as well as Bee'ah and Masdar senior management.

The partnership announced today as part of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week the largest gathering on sustainability in the Middle East hosted by Masdar until 23rd January also establishes a platform to develop similar future projects across the Middle East. Under the agreement a Centre of Excellence in Waste Management will also be set up in Sharjah to advance education innovation and capacity building in waste to energy.

Dr. Ahmad Belhoul CEO of Masdar said "When people think of sustainability they tend to focus on the water-energy-food nexus but waste is a critical part of the equation. Dumping waste in landfills is not desirable so finding innovative ways to release the embodied energy in waste is crucial if we are to address the sustainability challenges of increased urbanisation and consumerism.

"This agreement allows Masdar to deploy its extensive expertise and experience in clean energy project structuring financing asset management and project delivery which we have gained over the past 10 years while at the same time helping the UAE reduce carbon emissions and meet its renewable energy targets."

Established in 2007 Bee'ah collects about 2.3 million tonnes of waste from nearly 1 million households in Sharjah each year while diverting 70% of its collected waste.

Salim Al Owais noted the importance of the agreement by saying "This high profile agreement with Masdar gives the green light for an innovative approach to environmental solutions and energy and will radically improve our efforts to preserve the wonders of our natural habitat for tomorrow's generation. Central to this agreement is placing our cutting-edge recycling technologies along with Masdar's distinguished energy know-hows at the disposal of our community.

"Through our partnership with Masdar we will bring the industry's best minds and technology to ensuring our waste-to-energy methodologies are world class and consolidate the UAE's position as a leader in sustainable thinking and innovation" he said.

Khaled Al-Huraimel Group CEO of Bee'ah said "We are delighted to have come together and combine both Bee'ah's and Masdar's industry leading know-how to develop energy projects in the MENA region. The UAE has long been at the forefront of pioneering sustainable energy solutions and this agreement with Masdar further proves that commitment. The partnership will develop future waste to energy facilities in UAE and the MENA region. Environmental consciousness clean energy and sustainable entrepreneurship are nothing new to either Bee'ah or Masdar but the agreement at hand will further propel our efforts towards an ever more sustainable future."

Al Huraimel added that the partnership formed a consortium to participate in the tender process for the announced Integrated Waste Management: Northern Emirates project managed by the Ministry of Environment and Water which if successful will see two additional waste-to-energy plants constructed in the UAE by about 2021.