Abu Dhabi, Nov 30th, 2012 (WAM)--xxxx. INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. The industry sector has witnessed remarkable and steady development during the past years in terms of the number of establishments, the size of investments and the number of employees and workforce.

The creation of more industrial zones has facilitated the attraction of more quality foreign investment and strategic heavy industries.

The sector's contribution to the GDP rose from just 1% in 1971 to 14 % in 2011 and is expected to rise to 25% in the coming years, boosted by massive strategic plans to diversify the economic and productive base and to reduce dependence on oil as a main source of income.

The number of industrial establishments rose to more than 2500 in 2011 with total investment worth AED 114 billion.

Emergence of advanced strategic industries have attracted highly sophisticated technical and technological investment in areas of energy, aviation, aluminum, glass, steel, pharmaceuticals and base mineral industries.

The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan inaugurated in April 2011 the Emirates Aluminum (EMAL) smelter project at Al Taweelah in Abu Dhabi.

The new venture sees Dubai Aluminum Company (DUBAL) collaborating with Mubadala Development Company on the groundbreaking project.

The $6 billion joint-venture between Dubal and Mubadala Development Co. was completed thanks to the country's wise leadership and its clear vision, describing the project as a great national achievement. The UAE accounts for 47% of gross GCC investment in the aluminum industry, worth US$17.3 billion. The facility is expected to create around 2000 job vacancies, of which about 14% will be filled by UAE nationals.

Khalifa Industrial Zone (Kizad) is expected to play a major role in the development of the industrial sector. Combining world-class infrastructure, multimodal connectivity, including proximity to one of the world?s most advanced ports, and a wide range of features aimed to improve business efficiency such as vertically integrated industry clusters, Kizad will contribute significantly to the future prosperity of Abu Dhabi and the UAE. By the end of 2011, it had attracted 576 projects.

UAE: KEY WORLD SUPPLIER OF RENEWABLESAs a seat of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a host of the annual World Future Energy Summit and patron of the Zayed Future Energy Prize, the UAE has consolidated its position as a key actor in the international renewable energy sector.

On 14 October 2012, the Foreign Minister, H. H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, received a letter from the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who expressed his appreciation of the UAE's efforts in sustainable development, renewable energy technology and combating climate change. The UN Secretary General also praised the Masdar initiatives and the vital role played by the Directorate of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in relevant international events.

Ban Ki Moon said in his letter that he was proud of the achievements made by the UAE and its commitment to enhancing the use of renewable energy and clean technologies.

The UAE is pumping billions of dollars into developing renewable energy and lessening dependence on the oil income. Abu Dhabi takes big steps to develop the energy sector, which is a strategic option to ensure sustainability of supplies during different development stages identified in the ambitious economic vision for the emirate by 2030.

All indicators refer to an increase in local demand for different energy sources in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in general, especially in electric power generation and water desalination, as a result of expansion in infrastructure and industrial facilities and other sectors. Abu Dhabi also seeks to better exploit available energy sources and resources, including Solar and Wind energy.

The choice of Abu Dhabi to be the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, is considered to be an international acknowledgement of Abu Dhabi's position and efforts in this field. The UAE has invested about 7 billion dollars in 2008 in clean energy projects and plans to increase its investments to AED 183.7 billion ( 50 billion dollars) by 2015, according to the Department of Economic Development in Abu Dhabi.

UAE also plans to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to 7 per cent to satisfy its energy needs by 2020.

His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has said that under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE is committed to retaining its leading role as a main global energy provider through energy diversification in the renewable energy sector.

"Energy is a vital vein that nurtures all aspects of modern civilisation. In addressing the several challenges facing the world today, it is our responsibility to guarantee energy security and to exert every effort in developing clean technologies. It is our responsibility to take advantage of the various renewable natural sources of energy to achieve sustainable development," Sheikh Mohammed said at the opening of the World Future Energy Summit (WFES).

He added: "Almost five years ago, we began our work in building capacity in the renewable energy sector. Today, we realise that this approach has gained increasing regional and global attention. We are continuously hearing of new solar or other renewable energy projects being launched, this is exactly what is required, a collaborative effort to achieve energy security. We are still working on achieving our plans to move in two parallel streams towards developing local and international projects.'' MASDAR CITYOne of the most sustainable mixed-use developments on the planet, the $ 22 billion Masdar City is an emerging cleantech cluster that offers a creative and entrepreneurial atmosphere where businesses can thrive and innovation can flourish, in part because the city itself serves as a model of what green urban development can be.

This is especially the case because Masdar City is being designed and operated to provide the highest quality of life with the lowest environmental footprint ? all in a manner that is commercially viable.

It is a community where cutting-edge cleantech research and development, pilot projects, technology and materials testing, and construction on some of the world?s most sustainable buildings are all ongoing. Making use of this open technology platform, Masdar City partners have an unmatched opportunity to develop, test and validate their technologies in a large scale, real-world environmentWith six buildings completed, the 6 sq. km. Masdar City is already operational, with additional buildings coming online in by the end of 2012 that will triple its current size. At full build-out by 2025, the city is expected to have 40,000 residents and 50,000 commuters.

Masdar has also completed 90% of Shams 1, one of the world?s largest concentrated solar power (CSP) projects. As one of Masdar?s flagship projects, the AED 2.2 billion plant will directly contribute toward Abu Dhabi?s target of achieving seven percent renewable energy power generation capacity by the year 2020. Shams 1 is a milestone project for the region and will be a core contributor to Abu Dhabi?s long-term renewable energy objectives.

Shams 1 will extend over an area of 2.5 square km, with a capacity of approximately 100 MW and a solar field consisting of 768 parabolic trough collectors. Construction began during Q3 2010 and is expected to be completed in approximately two years. The signature solar power project will generate enough electricity to power 20,000 homes. Masdar has also developed projects in the United Kingdom and Spain, while also investing in clean-technology companies across North America, Europe and Asia.

SOLAR ATLASMasdar Institute of Science and Technology, the Abu Dhabi-headquartered International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and other collaboration partners have jointly launched the UAE Solar Atlas.

The announcement was made on the sidelines of the Rio+20 Earth Summit 2012 that is being held from 20-22 June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Six days of open-ended informal discussions were also held in the build-up to the Summit, including the third and final Preparatory Meeting.

Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, UAE Special Envoy for Energy & Climate Change and CEO of Masdar, said: "The official launch of the UAE Solar Atlas comes at a time when investment in solar energy is witnessing an uptrend.

This multi-stakeholder initiative will help investors immensely to assess risks and commercial viability before implementing new solar energy projects. Masdar is proud to be part of this project that will provide further momentum to greater adoption of clean energy sources." Adnan Amin, Director-General of IRENA, said: "The official release of the UAE Solar Atlas at the Rio Summit signifies the remarkable commitment of the global partner organisations in bringing clean energy closer to the community. This Internet-based platform is designed to raise awareness of technology opportunities and serve as a repository for high quality renewable energy resource data, offering an avenue for those seeking to choose the solar energy route as part of their energy mix." Dr Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, said "The commissioning of the Solar Atlas ensures renewable energy markets regularly receive reliable and stable data on the annual solar irradiance. Such data can prove extremely valuable for deploying various technologies including roof or land area for photovoltaic cells.

The MENA region offers abundant potential for tapping solar energy and we believe the UAE Solar Atlas, supported by the country?s leadership, will encourage other countries in the region to implement renewable energy projects in this part of the world."MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM SOLAR PARK In Dubai, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has launched the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project in January 2012. The AED 12-billion project, which will cover an area of 48 square kilometres, is part of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030.

The first stage of the project will be implemented through utilising photoelectrical plates to produce 12 MW of energy in 2013 with a total productivity of 1000 MW at the completion of the project in 2030.

The Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 has envisaged a plan for diversifying the energy sources in Dubai so that solar energy contributes 1% to the overall energy production for Dubai by 2020, increasing to 5% by 2030. This is in addition to generating 12% from nuclear power and 12% from clean coal. The remainder will come from gas.

RAK'S GREEN POWER PLANIn another energy milestone, the UAE?s first clean coal-fired power plant will be built in Ras Al Khaimah at a cost of AED 1.5 billion to meet fast-growing demand for electricity. Utico Middle East, a national company, has contracted Shanghai Electric, to commission the the world's greenest coal-fired power plant. Supported by the Ras Al Khaimah government, the venture is expected to be completed in 2015 and will generate 270 MW of power when fully operational.

The project will utilise 100 per cent carbon capture technology as nominal design capacity and 80 per cent at operational point and this will involve the establishment of world-class power generation facilities and environment protection standards and related utility infrastructure.

UAE ENTERS INTO THE NUCLEAR ERAThe UAE took the first step towards production of nuclear energy when the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (Enec) contracted in October 2012 a portfolio of leading international nuclear fuel suppliers to provide a series of nuclear fuel services to cover Enec's requirements for the first 15 years of operations.

In 2009, the UAE awarded a South Korean consortium led by the Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) a AED 75 billion nuclear contract to build four nuclear reactors by 2020. The enriched uranium will be supplied to KEPCO Nuclear Fuels (KNF), which will manufacture the fuel assemblies for use in the four planned UAE units.

Starting in 2014 - 2015, a total of six leading companies (from US, South Korea, Canada, Russia and France) will participate in the ENEC fuel supply programme to provide natural uranium, concentrates, and conversion and enrichment services.

The contracted fuel, valued at approximately US$3 billion, will enable the Barakah plant to generate up to 450 million MWh for a period of 15 years starting in 2017, when the first nuclear energy unit is scheduled to begin providing electricity to the UAE.

The completion of the fuel supply strategy is a key achievement in Enec's programme and a clear example of how the UAE continues to set the gold standard for implementing a peaceful nuclear energy program. These contracts will provide ENEC with long-term security of supply, high quality fuel and favorable pricing and commercial terms.

Enec is planning to build four 1,400-MW nuclear energy units at the approved site, Barakah, in the Western Region of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. In July, ENEC received regulatory approval from both the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation for the construction of the first two nuclear energy units in Barakah.

Pending further regulatory approvals, the first unit is scheduled to begin delivering electricity to the grid in 2017. The remaining three units are scheduled to come on line in 2018, 2019 and 2020.

The Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) mission, which completed a 10-day International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) review of the regulatory framework for nuclear safety and radiation protection in the UAE in December 2011, noted good practices in the UAE system and also made recommendations and suggestions for the nation's nuclear regulatory authority, the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR).

"The team was impressed by the speed with which the UAE developed its regulatory framework and established a new regulatory body," said IRRS Team Leader Carl-Magnus Larsson of Australia. The IRRS team highlighted several good practices of the UAE regulatory system, including, though not limited to, the following:The UAE has developed a nuclear policy and subsequent activities related to the introduction of nuclear power within a relatively short timeframe. In developing its nuclear law, the UAE used the opportunity to merge five pre-existing regulatory bodies into one organisation, FANR, which has made extensive use of the IAEA Safety Standards to establish its regulations and guidance, and is using IAEA peer-review missions and services as a means to strengthen its nuclear safety framework.

FANR has also made good progress in developing an integrated management system, i.e. a systematic approach to running the organization as established in IAEA Safety Standards.

To ensure adoption of best practices, the UAE has signed bilateral agreements on peaceful nuclear co-operation with a number of countries including the US, UK, Japan, France, Canada and Australia.

UAE UNVEIL TWO NUCLEAR SAFETY INITIATIVES Internationally, the UAE has also engaged in nuclear -related activities.His Highness General Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, led the UAE's delegation to the Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) in Seoul, capital of South Korea, last March.

The UAE unveiled two initiatives via which it would support the objectives of the summit to respond to the threat of nuclear terrorism, to enhanced protection of nuclear materials and facilities and to prevent illegal trafficking of nuclear materials.

Sheikh Mohammed announced the UAE contribution of a million US dollars towards the expansion and enhancement of the International Atomic Energy Agency's Safeguards Analytical Laboratory (SAL) and the hosting in October 2013 of an international conference on strategies and techniques for maintaining continuous control of radioactive sources throughout their life cycle. Upgrading the SAL will allow the Agency to determine the origin of nuclear materials and to detect undeclared and illegal nuclear installations.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed called for international cooperation to help put in place the global infrastructure and human capacity needed to ensure the highest standards of nuclear security in all countries.

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Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2012.