ENEC To Collab With US DOE's INL On Joint Roadmap To Fulfill Net-Zero Pledges

The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) is all set to collaborate with the United States Department of Energy's Idaho National Laboratory (INL) on a joint roadmap geared toward fulfilling its net-zero pledges.

The roadmap will be aligned with ENEC's commitment to the UAE's Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative and Net Zero Nuclear (NZN) initiative. Moreover, it will guide ENEC's activities to achieve net zero with the help of cutting-edge technology and INL experts' innovative ideas.

Mohamed Al Hammadi, managing director and CEO of ENEC, said this partnership shows both organizations are moving toward achieving the goal of driving the global clean energy transition.

"We are mapping out our pathway beyond the significant decarbonization we already deliver through the Barakah plant to identify routes to maximize our impact to delivering Net Zero. We intend to rapidly decarbonize our existing activities at the Barakah Plant site and support hard-to-abate industries in achieving their net-zero goals," he said, according to WAM.

ENEC's flagship Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, located in Abu Dhabi, will be providing 25% of the electricity needs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by 2025 while decarbonizing the country's energy sector to meet net-zero commitments.

One of the largest nuclear energy plants in the world, it comes with four APR-1400 units. After the plant becomes completely operational, it will be able not only to power businesses and houses but also to decarbonize the industry by becoming UAE's largest source of clean electricity.

"In addition, we will continue to leverage international collaboration to boost new nuclear energy capacity and maximize the value of the technologies we have today, as well as those of tomorrow, to drive the clean energy transition and meet climate change goals," he continued.

INL director John Wagner said the laboratory is known as the world leader when it comes to designing, demonstrating and deploying nuclear energy technology. With this collaboration, both entities will be able to leverage their capabilities and expertise in nuclear and renewable energy alongside net-zero systems to help with ENEC's clean molecule goals.

Established in 1949, INL is located in Idaho Falls and is spread around 2,305 square kilometers. The lab consists of more than 6,000 researchers and support staff working on developing innovative technology for nuclear energy, renewable energy systems and security solutions.