Title: Prospecting of renewable energy technologies for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi: a techno-economic analysis

Authors: Djawed Belasri; Akinleye Sowunmi; Juan-Rodrigo Bastidas-Oyanedel; Carlos Amaya; Jens Ejbye Schmidt

Addresses: Institute Center of Energy – iEnergy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Institute Center of Energy – iEnergy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Institute Center of Energy – iEnergy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council, ADQCC, P.O. Box 853, Abu Dhabi, UAE ' Institute Center of Energy – iEnergy, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, P.O. Box 54224, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abstract: This manuscript aims to provide a roadmap to support Abu Dhabi's target to ensuring renewable energy (RE) sources accounting for at least 7% of the Emirate's total power generation capacity by 2020. On the basis of official power generation forecasts, a target of 1.4 GW was set to reach this target. Out of nine commercially available RE technologies assessed, five were found to be viable options, with three of them - wind power, concentrated solar power (CSP) and solar photovoltaic power - individually able to reach or surpass the 1.4 GW target. However, based on the complex techno-economic analysis undertaken in this study, in order to achieve the 1.4 GW RE target, the recommended mix of RE sources is 10% wind offshore, 30% wind onshore, 35% solar photovoltaic, 5% concentrated solar with storage and 20% waste to energy. Waste to energy addresses Abu Dhabi's goal diverting waste from landfills by 85% by 2030.

Keywords: Abu Dhabi; renewable energy; solar energy; photovoltaics; CSP; concentrated solar power; wind energy; waste to energy; wind power; UAE; United Arab Emirates; power generation capacity; techno-economic analysis; waste management.

DOI: 10.1504/PIE.2016.082145

Progress in Industrial Ecology, An International Journal, 2016 Vol.10 No.2/3, pp.301 - 318

Received: 25 Feb 2016
Accepted: 31 May 2016

Published online: 08 Feb 2017 *

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