Denmark and the UAE Sign Clean Energy Deal

The Government of Denmark and the United Arab Emirates have signed a strategic framework agreement focusing on sustainable development policy and commercial development of renewables.

The Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Mr. Rasmus Helveg Petersen has signed a cooperation agreement on sustainable development with the UAE Minister of State and CEO of Masdar H.E. Dr Masdar Sultan Al Jaber. The signing ceremony took place immediately after the opening of World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi in the presence of H.R.H. Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and His Highness Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, United Arab Emirates Minister of Foreign Affairs

Fostering cross-border collobation on sustainable development
The agreement aims to foster collaboration between the UAE and Danish companies and research institutions that paves the way for commercial partnerships across a range of areas within sustainable development and furthering the commercialisation of renewables. More specifically, the agreement outlines specific areas of collaboration including policy exchange to support sustainable development, commercial renewable energy development and human capital development through education and job exchanges, among other areas.

“The UAE is one of the wealthiest nations in the world and has one of the highest levels of energy consumption based on fossil fuels. But the country has recognized that the energy consumption must be lowered and changed in a greener direction. Therefore the UAE is interested in collaborating with Danish companies and institutions on investments in renewable energy, energy efficiency and green solutions in the UAE and globally,” says Mr. Helveg.

“This partnership outlines specific opportunities and technology areas for us to share expertise and bring forward clean-energy and sustainability projects, Mr. Helveg continued.

First collaboration
One of the first areas of collaboration is establishing a Danish Incubator at Masdar City — Abu Dhabi’s low-carbon, sustainable city — to serve as a hub for Danish companies and to accelerate the adoption of sustainability technologies in the MENA region. Masdar city also is host to many green companies, among others Danish Grundfos, Vestas and Maersk, and collobarates with the Danish city Soenderborg on ProjectZero.

Source: Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs