Power Letters 2024: How ENOC is supporting UAE’s energy transition

The UAE continues to adopt a pragmatic approach to the energy transition by focusing on fulfilling the existing needs for reliable, secure and sustainable energy both locally and globally whilst also investing in clean energy projects featuring solar and hydrogen, which will remain critical in 2024 and beyond.

Over the years, the country has made significant progress when it comes to diversifying its energy mix and reducing its carbon emissions guided by the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which was recently updated to include investments between Dhs150-200bn by 2030 that is expected to contribute Dhs100bn in financial savings and create 50,000 new green jobs.

Aligned with the UAE’s efforts to transition into a green economy for the world to emulate, ENOC Group contributed to the development of clean energy infrastructure whilst boosting capabilities to realise a more sustainable future for all.

In addition to advancing sustainability ambitions, the group also made concerted efforts to accelerate the ongoing implementation of its digitisation journey, which is driving innovation and meeting the needs of customers in a time of rapid technological changes.

ENOC: Driven by five key values

In line with the group’s long-term growth strategy founded on five strategic pillars of ‘Proactive Improvement’, ‘Integrated Value Chain and Growth’, ‘Think Customer’, ‘Diversified Energy’, and ‘Asset Optimisation’, the group remains at the forefront of delivering world-class sustainable, and integrated energy solutions.

In the next few years, these plans will be fulfilled through a focus on operational efficiencies, collaboration, and implementation of digital technologies, and by delivering a seamless experience across the energy sector value chain.

Even in a continuously evolving economic landscape, ENOC has made sustainability a cornerstone of its vision, spurring innovation, growth, and service excellence as it continues to reduce carbon footprint by ensuring resource and process efficiencies and creating new benchmarks for the industry.

As a key player committed to meeting the clean energy demands of the future, ENOC marked the UAE’s Year of Sustainability by collaborating with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to build a hydrogen fuelling station – which was unveiled very recently – and develop the country’s hydrogen economy.

ENOC’s exploration of alternative technology pathways to lower emissions and develop the use of hydrogen in mobility reflects its commitment to the National Hydrogen Strategy and is in line with the Dubai Green Mobility Initiative 2030.

It also contributes to accelerating the transition to carbon neutrality in line with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 per cent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

As part of its efforts to drive the new energy economy, ENOC played a key role in the region’s first demonstration flight powered by 100 per cent sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), which took to the skies at the start of 2023.

The group also signed an agreement with Neste in a pivotal step towards exploring the possibilities of supplying and purchasing SAF regionally in the years ahead. This ambitious goal underscores ENOC’s proactive approach to fostering a more sustainable and environmentally responsible aviation sector.

Solar power station

In line with the group’s strategy to deliver world-class sustainable and integrated energy solutions, the first-of-its-kind in the world solar-powered fuel station – ENOC Link Solar-Powered Truck – was launched, which is revolutionising fuel distribution whilst contributing positively to the environment.

Fuel retail is a critical business segment for the group’s operations, and ENOC continues to meet its customers’ growing retail and energy demand with 196 fully operational service stations across the UAE.

In 2024, we will continue to offer industry-leading bold, innovative, and high-tech solutions to support the broader vision of Dubai and the UAE.

As we work collaboratively towards 2071 and as energy demand continues to evolve, ENOC will be at the forefront of supporting these needs through its bold initiatives, regional and international partnerships, and by expanding its capacity, capabilities and offerings for the continued growth and diversification of Dubai and the wider UAE’s economy.

The writer is the group CEO of ENOC.