UAE’s Tabreed and Adnoc partner on MENA’s first geothermal energy project

Good morning, friends. We have a brisk issue for you this morning with an interesting new renewable energy project in the UAE and lots of earnings updates.

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY- UAE’s Adnoc and Tabreed have concluded testing on two geothermal wells in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, marking the first step in a clean energy project aimed at electrifying the city’s cooling sector.

^^ We have more details on this story and more in the news well, below.

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- Search efforts continue in Maui after wildfire devastation: Search teams are combing through Maui to search for human remains as the death toll from deadly wildfires last week climbed up to 96 and is expected to rise, according to officials.The Federal Emergency Management Agency teams in Lahaina are using trained dogs to comb many areas, but such efforts are being hampered by rising temperatures. Scientists believe the deadly wildfires which have been the deadliest in the US in over 100 years were aggravated by several factors including climate change, with soaring global temperatures and drought turning some parts of Hawaii into a tinderbox on the back of powerful winds from a nearby cyclone.

Maui’s disaster continued to dominate coverage in international press: Reuters | Bloomberg | The Associated Press | The New York Times | Washington Post | Wall Street Journal

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OVER IN COPLAND- Climate finance reform in the crosshairs: A two-day Independent High-Level Expert Group (IHLEG) will convene to discuss international climate finance reform today in Abu Dhabi, Wam reports. An international group of top economists, private sector leaders, and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions will attend the meeting, where policy recommendations for a more equitable and efficient climate finance system will be presented in preparation for COP28. The current climate finance landscape and its effectiveness in relation to the Paris Agreement goals will also be evaluated.

Who will be there? Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development and the Abu Dhabi Global Market Ahmed Al Zaabi will be present at the meeting, as will co-chairs of the IHLEG Nicholas Stern and Vera Songwe, executive secretary of the IHLEG Amar Bhattacharya, managing director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva, as well as senior World Bank representatives and economists, Wam said.

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WATCH THIS SPACE #1- Is India’s ReNew Power breaking ground on Egypt hydrogen plant next year? India’s largest renewables developer ReNew Power said it could break ground on its USD 8 bn green hydrogen plant in Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone early next year, Al Shorouk reports, citing a government source. The plant should take around six years to complete, the source added. Technical studies are underway for the project ahead of a final investment decision, which is expected between November and March next year. The Indian company and El Sewedy Electric signed a framework agreement with the government for the project back in November. ReNew said at the time that it would undertake further studies and make a final investment decision by 1Q 2024. If the project moves forward, the company expects to begin commissioning the pilot phase in 2026.

The project: ReNew and Elsewedy will set up renewables projects generating 570 MW to produce 20k tons of green hydrogen during the pilot phase of the project. The green hydrogen will be used as feedstock to generate 100k tons of green ammonia. The second phase will see the companies build renewable energy projects yielding 5.68 GW to produce 200k tons of green hydrogen, which would then be converted to 1 mn tons of green ammonia.

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WATCH THIS SPACE #2- A new BP company in Kuwait: British oil giant BP has reportedly established a new company in Kuwait focused on renewable energy and petroleum consulting, Kuwait newspaper Al Anba reported this week. The new company — which will have a capital of KWD 5 mn (c. USD 16.2 mn) — will focus on setting up and operating renewable and alternative energy stations, petroleum consultations, and services related to oil and gas extraction, excluding survey services, according to the media outlet.

WATCH THIS SPACE #3- KSA’s Tadweeer is making the switch on Tadawul: The Board of Directors of Saudi Arabia’s National Environmental Recycling Co. (Tadweeer) has approved a decision to move from Tadawul’s parallel market (Nomu) and head to the stock exchange’s main stock market, according to a bourse filing. Established in 2017, Nomu is an alternative platform with requirements that allow KSA-based SMEs with a market cap above SAR 10 mn and a minimum of one year of operational and financial performance to become publicly listed. Nomu — which is restricted to qualified investors — enables listed companies to transition to the main market after obtaining necessary approvals. Tadawul has not yet issued a decision approving Tadweeer’s shift, the company notes.

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NON-CLIMATE REGIONAL HEADLINES:

• UAE: An anticipated Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between UAE and Pakistan — set to be signed in the fourth quarter of the year — is expected to boost bilateral trade by up to 20% annually. (Khaleej Times)
• Egypt: Egyptian expats will be allowed to buy a USD-denominated pension plan in the country through Misr Life Ins. and the National Bank of Egypt, Egypt’s Financial Regulatory Authority chief Mohamed Farid said. (Enterprise)

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IN THIS WEEK’S EPISODE- It’s the very first panel of the Enterprise Climate Forum: Egypt brought home major victories from COP27, signing framework agreements for about USD 85 bn worth of green hydrogen projects, and announcing more than USD 10 bn in funding for the Nexus for Food, Water and Energy (NWFE) program. While we have a long way to go before much of the gains from COP27 will be tangible to the private sector, the opportunities in green hydrogen and NWFE are “now.” Our panelists helped explain how these two can be made actionable. We were joined by Jorgo Chatzimarkakis, CEO of Hydrogen Europe, Khalid Hamza, Director and head of Egypt at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and Khaled Naguib, CEO of Hydrogen Egypt.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Sweden will host World Water Week from Sunday, 20 August to Wednesday, 24 August in Stockholm. Organized by the Stockholm International Water Institute, the event will bring together policy makers, NGOs, and private sector players to discuss innovative solutions to managing water and how to tackle food security, biodiversity, and climate change.

The US will host the International Conference on Recycling and Waste Management and the International Conference on Environmental Sustainability and Climate Change from Monday, 21 August till Tuesday, 22 August in Philadelphia. The waste management conference will gather environmental engineers, and recycling, wastewater treatment, and climate researchers to discuss trends and innovations in plastics recycling, wastewater treatment, and renewable energy. The sustainability and climate change conference will bring together researchers and industry leaders to spotlight innovations in environmental science, climatology, renewable energy, and pollution control.

The Dominican Republic will host the COP27 Transitional Committee from Tuesday, 29 August to Friday, 1 September. The meeting aims to establish institutional arrangements, modalities, governance structures, and terms of reference for the landmark Loss and Damage Fund. It also wants to expand sources for climate funding under the program.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

UAE’s Tabreed and Adnoc partner on MENA’s first geothermal energy project: Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and the UAE’s National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) have concluded testing on two geothermal wells in Abu Dhabi’s Masdar City, marking the first step in a clean energy project aimed at electrifying the city’s cooling sector, a company statement notes. The project will be funded under Adnoc’s USD 15 bn allocation towards developing low-carbon power solutions.

The details: The project will extract water from underground wells at temperatures exceeding 90°C and flow rates nearing 100 liters per second. The water will then be rerouted to an absorption cooling system to chill it before sending it to Tabreed’s district cooling network at Masdar City. The geothermal energy project is set to meet 10% of Masdar City’s cooling needs, the statement notes.

Why this is important: A majority of the UAE’s electricity consumption is spent on cooling buildings, and district cooling uses nearly 50% less energy than standard air conditioning, the statement notes. Leveraging the energy efficiency of geothermal heat in district cooling operations has the potential to significantly reduce electricity demand for cooling from the grid, the statement added.

SOUND SMART- Geothermal resources are existing reservoirs of hot water or human made ones at varying temperatures and depths below the Earth's surface. Wells can be drilled into the reservoirs to bring steam and very hot water that can be brought up to the surface for use in electricity generation, heating, and cooling. Twenty-seven countries currently rely on geothermal energy, with Iceland generating about a quarter of its electricity needs and some 90% of its heating requirements from clean energy.

REMEMBER- Adnoc and Masdar are teaming up on geothermal energy production: Back in March, Adnoc signed a five-year agreement with UAE renewables giant Masdar to explore potential investment and development in the geothermal power sector, with Adnoc serving as Masdar’s drilling technical expert. In February, Masdar acquired shares in the geothermal unit of Indonesia’s state-owned energy firm Pertamina, which plans to generate 600 MW of geothermal power by 2028.

Not the first regional suitors for the power source: In March, KSA’s Industrialization and Energy Services Company (Taqa) signed a joint venture agreement with Iceland’s Reykjavik Geothermal to establish the Taqa Geothermal Energy Company in Riyadh. The JV will explore sources of geothermal energy in Saudi Arabia in a bid to build up a generation capacity of 1 GW. Countries across the region including KSA, Oman, and Jordan are similarly stepping up efforts to tap into the clean energy source.

And research points to much potential: Two potential geothermal energy sources in Egypt can alone help mitigate 20 mn tons of CO2 emissions, one study (pdf) finds. Another study (pdf) identified 18 regions in Iran with promising geothermal prospects. The level of enthalpy — a measurement for the total heat content of a system — in geothermal reservoirs across the region are highest in Turkey, Iran, and Yemen, according to an academic review (pdf).

IFC green bond proceeds will be funneled to emerging markets: The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has raised CAD 1 bn (USD 743.9 mn) in partnership with the National Bank of Canada Financial Markets (NBF) through a three-year green bond issuance, according to a statement. The IFC aims to use the funds to unlock private investment for climate-related projects in emerging markets, the statement added. It is unclear from the statement which specific emerging markets will be targeted with the proceeds from the issuance. Canada’s Scotiabank served as the lead manager on the benchmark green bond transaction.

What kind of projects are eligible? Through its established Green Bond Framework (pdf), the IFC plans to pump the raised funds into a variety of green sectors, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, green buildings, clean transport, as well as biodiversity and ocean conservation and water protection.

Demand for the green finance vehicle was big: The trade attracted orders over CAD 1.5 bn, making it the IFC's second highly successful CAD issuance of the year and their largest CAD trade to date “with a well oversubscribed book,” head and Managing Director at NBF Scott Graham said.

About IFC’s Green Bond Framework: Since the launch of the green bond program in 2010, IFC has issued over USD 13 bn through 199 green bonds in 21 currencies, the statement disclosed. According to the framework’s 2022 summary report, 25.6 mn tons of CO2 equivalent per year are curtailed as a result of the projects launched through the green bond program. Last year, the IFC broadened its Green Bond Framework to incorporate elements of blue finance and biodiversity through its publishing of the Guidelines for Blue Finance.

The IFC is a major contributor to green funding in the region: Last month, Egypt’s largest private lender CIB said it is scheduled to receive a USD 100 mn loan from the IFC to help fund the bank’s climate finance endeavors. Morocco’s Mohammed VI Fund for Investment (M6FI) signed an agreement with the International lender for support in identifying and financing sustainable infrastructure projects in the kingdom and the IFC approved a green loan worth EUR 100 mn to state-owned fertilizer and phosphate giant OCP Group earlier this year to help finance the development of four solar plants yielding 202 MW. In February, IFC signed two separate agreements with state-owned Abu Dhabi Fund for Development and Masdar to jointly invest in the energy transition for emerging markets. IFC also helped fund a 560 MW solar plant and 505 MW wind farm in Egypt developed by UAE’s Amea Power.

2Q earnings season is in full swing, and we have a mixed bag of reports this morning from UAE’s Taqa and KSA’s Ma’aden and Tadweeer.

TAQA-

A mixed season for Taqa: Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) reported a 17% y-o-y drop in net income in the second quarter of the year to AED 1.92 bn on the back of lower

energy prices and reduced production, its financial statements (pdf) to ADX showed. Its revenues were up 5% y-o-y for the three months ending in June to AED 13.7 bn.

A better 1H all in all: Taqa reported a whooping y-o-y net income of AED 13.5 bn in the first six half of the year from AED 4.3 bn in the corresponding period last year, according to the financial statement. The rise in net income during 1H was driven by a one-off gain of AED 10.8 bn recognized on the acquisition of a 5% shareholding in Adnoc Gas, its earnings release (pdf) showed on Monday. This was in part offset by a one-off AED 1.2 bn deferred tax liability associated with the introduction of corporate income tax from 1 January 2024 by the UAE. Its revenues were up 5.4% y-o-y in the first six months of the year to AED 26.8 bn. The growth in revenues during the period came on the back of higher pass-through bulk supply tariffs and transmission use of systems within the transmission and distribution segment.

Some highlights during the season: Taqa shed light on some of its achievements during the first half of the year, including a definitive agreement to acquire water solutions firm Sustainable Water Solutions Holding Company, according to its earnings release. It also announced during the second quarter the financial closing for the Mirfa 2 Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant. The ambitious project will see Taqa taking a majority stake of 60% in the project company and a 40% stake in the project’s operation and maintenance company. It also announced with Adnoc a AED 8.8 bn strategic project which will help provide sustainable water for Adnoc’s onshore operations. Both parties will hold a 25.5% stake each in the project, which comprise a centralized seawater treatment facility and transportation network for Adnoc’s onshore operations.

And internationally: Taqa embarked on its first transmission and distribution investment overseas with a AED 113 mn investment for the ambitious Xlinks’ Morocco-UK Power Project. Xlinks will lay 3.8k km high-voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cable to eventually transport 3.6 GW of renewable energy — nearly 8% of the the UK’s current requirements — from a 10.5 GW solar and wind farm in Morocco’s Guelmim-Oued Noun region to Britain’s power grid in Devon, it said earlier this year.

MA’ADEN-

A quarter to forget for Ma’aden: Saudi Arabian Mining Company Ma’aden reported a 91.3% y-o-y plunge in net income in the second quarter of the year to SAR 351 mn on the back of lower sales prices and higher expenditure, according to a disclosure to Tadawul. Its revenues during the three months ending in June dropped 41.3% y-o-y to SAR 7 bn.

1H was bumpy too: The state-owned mining company reported a 88% y-o-y fall in net income during the first half of the year to SAR 770.4 mn, the disclosure showed. Its revenues were down 27.8% y-o-y during the first six months of the year to SAR 15 bn.

What’s fuelling the drop? Ma’aden attributed the drop in net income in 2Q to lower average realized sales prices of all its products except gold, and higher general and administrative expenses including expected credit loss allowance by 40%. The decrease in the second quarter was partially offset by higher sales volumes of all products except ammonia, primary aluminum, and flat rolled products. The drop in net income during the first half of the year compared to the corresponding period last year was due to lower sales prices of all products except gold and higher cost of sales by 10% due to increased production costs coming from higher sales volumes which were partially offset by a decrease in raw material costs. The fall in net income was partially offset by higher sales volumes of all products except primary aluminum and flat rolled products and lower selling, marketing, and logistics expenses by 24%.

TADWEEER-

A solid 1H for KSA’s Tadweeer: Saudi Arabia’s National Environmental Recycling Co. (Tadweeer) reported a 19.8% y-o-y rise in net profit for 1H 2023 to SAR 10.14 mn on the back of an increase in operating income, according to financial results sent to Tadawul. The company’s revenues grew 34.6% y-o-y for the same period to SAR 257.9 mn.

Fueling the bottom line growth: Tadweeer attributed the growth in net profits after zakat and tax provisions to an almost 35% increase in sales from the corresponding period last year, which saw it rake in SAR 13.1 mn in operating income in 1H, the filing notes.

A possible mining cooperation between Algeria and Russia? Algeria’s Energy and Mining Minister Mohamed Arkab mulled cooperating in the exploration sector with Karpinsky Russian Geological Research Institute and Russia’s seismic exploration company GEOTECH Seismic Services, according to a statement released last week. They discussed the possibility of creating partnerships and signing MoUs between the two sides for mineral exploration, especially for rare special metals, according to the statement.

US automaker Cadillac debuted the all-electric version of the best-selling Cadillac Escalade IQ in the Middle East last week, according to a statement. The EV will be available for purchase late in 2024, the company notes.

The specs: The EV packs a 200+ KWh battery with over 450 miles of range (c. 724 km) and 785 lb-ft of torque (watch, runtime, 3:55). The Escalade IQ can reach up to 750 horsepower, going from 0-60 miles per hour in less than five seconds and recharges up to 100 miles (c.160 km) on a 10 minute 800 volt-direct current (DC) charge. It is also compatible with 240 volt, 19.2 KW alternate current (AC) home chargers, which add around 37 miles (c.60 km) of range in a one hour charge, according to Car and Driver.

Spacious and smooth: The 19-foot long seven-seater has three rows of passengers and boasts Super Cruise hands-free driver assistance technology with features such as automatic lane change and allows for autonomous driving on compatible roads (watch, runtime, 4:23). The EV’s front truck also offers 12 cubic feet of storage.

Loads of tech on deck: Cabin technology features include a curved pillar-to-pillar 55-inch LED diagonal display system across the dashboard, with new tech enabling an active shutter to allow for content streaming for the front passenger while blocked from the driver’s view (watch, runtime, 02:56). The executive seating package for the pilot chairs behind the front seats includes 12.6 inch infotainment screens, a rear command center, stowable tray tables, wireless charging, headrest speakers, and heated seats that can provide massages. (watch, runtime, 02:17).

The price tag: The starting price for the EV will be around USD 130k for the base model, with prices going up to USD 175k based on features, the company notes.

KSA’s Zain and RSG launch net-zero 5G network in the kingdom: Saudi Public Investment Fund-backed multi project developer Red Sea Global (RSG) and Kuwait-based telecom company Zain have developed the world’s first carbon-neutral 5G network at the Six Senses Southern Dunes resort at RSG’s Red Sea Project in KSA, the Saudi Press Agency reports. The two companies used solar energy and 3D printing technology to construct net-zero communications towers to facilitate coverage without relying on carbon-intensive conventional alternatives, SPA notes. Building on the Red Sea Project’s 750k PV panel solar capacity and its 3D printing tech, Zain KSA plans to establish the world’s largest carbon-neutral communications grid there, SPA says.

A push for waste management in Cairo: Egypt’s Local Development Minister Hisham Amna has inaugurated an EGP 80 mn municipal solid waste station in Cairo’s district of Ghamra, according to a statement. The station will serve eight neighborhoods in northern Cairo with a capacity of 1.5k to 2k tons per day of solid waste, enhancing waste collection in the district. Seven fixed and mobile intermediate stations have been set up in Cairo at a cost of EGP 220 mn under a plan to raise the efficiency of municipal solid waste collection and transport, according to the statement.

ALSO- Eni has an idea of such up its sleeve: Italian energy giant Eni has presented a proposal on an ambitious waste-to-energy project aimed at producing biofuels, according to a statement by Egypt’s Oil Ministry. The project will use livestock and agricultural waste to produce biogas and organic fertilizers, providing an advanced system for a safe waste management of 140 tons of livestock and agricultural waste, the statement notes.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• Number of EVs in KSA exceeds 70k: Saudi Arabia has so far imported a total of 71.2k electric and hybrid vehicles, 711 of which were imported this year and 14k arrived last year. A majority of the EVs came from the US, followed by Germany, Japan, and China, among others. (Saudi Gazette)
• Solar-powered Egyptian antiquity: Egypt’s Tourism and Antiquities Ministry has begun setting up solar energy stations at four museums and archaeological sites at an overall capacity of 85 kW and a cost of USD 95k. (Al Masry Al Youm)
• Beeah Tandeef employs use of AI cameras: Beeah Tandeef — the waste collection and city cleaning arm of the UAE’s Beeah Group — has rolled out AI-enabled 360° camera systems for its waste collection vehicles in a bid to streamline refuse management. (Wam)

British solar developers found a solution for limited space for solar farms: A 58.8 MW solar park under construction on the outskirts of London is being built on top of 5 mn tons landfill, providing an example of how clean energy providers can solve the space dilemma when tasked with supplying power to big cities, Bloomberg reports. Transmission, distribution, and proximity to electricity use are important factors when planning a solar project, according to Popkin from the Rocky Mountain Institute, adding landfill solar allows for the reinvention of these sites for future energy needs.

How they did it: To prevent the foundations of the fixed panels from piercing through the sealing of the landfill site underground, the panels needed to be fixed to ballasted bases made of concrete, Bloomberg explains. Additionally, some had to be installed with adjustable legs in case the ground moves over time as the trash underneath decomposes. These factors led to the plant costing around 5% more than a solar farm installed on ordinary land, director of business development at NTR Plc Eamonn Medley told the news outlet. In similar pilot projects in the US and southern Brazil, the cost can be as much as 15% higher depending on the state of the landfill as well as freight and material prices.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• Climate change is battering Afghanistan: A persistent drought exacerbated by climate change is worsening the humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan, taking its toll on food security and the economy — a third of which is generated by agriculture. (Reuters)