Abu dhabi: Eng. Sharif Al Olama, Undersecretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, represented the UAE at the Ministerial Dialogue of the Singapore-IRENA High-Level Forum. This forum was a key event of the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) 2025.
According to Emirates News Agency, the gathering included industry leaders, policymakers, and experts who convened under the theme "Envisioning Energy Tomorrow, Building Systems Today." The session focused on how governments have facilitated regional energy integration while managing national priorities. Panelists shared insights on policies, regulations, and partnerships necessary to unlock investment opportunities for accelerating cross-border energy projects.
Al Olama outlined the UAE's strategy for clean-energy investments, emphasizing long-term policy stability, open markets, and global connectivity. He highlighted the UAE's success in attracting clean-energy investment, leading to record-low tariffs through transparent tenders and power-purchase agreements. The UAE, through Masdar, is developing clean-energy projects in over 40 countries with an installed capacity exceeding 50 GW, aiming for 100 GW and one million tonnes of green hydrogen annually by 2030.
He stressed the importance of three enablers for scaling investments in fast-growing regions like Southeast Asia: clear market signals for investor confidence, regulatory harmonisation for clean-energy trade, and innovative financing to manage risks. Al Olama cited the GCC Power Grid as an example, having saved GCC states over $3 billion in generation costs. He suggested this model could facilitate green power corridors between the Middle East and Southeast Asia, where electricity demand is expected to rise by 60 percent by 2040.
As COP30 approaches, Al Olama reiterated the UAE's commitment to transforming dialogue into actionable partnerships, emphasizing clean energy, efficiency, and interconnection as vital for shared energy security and sustainable growth.