Marubeni, Suez consortiums eye region's largest WtE project

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Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) and Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer) have announced that two consortiums led by global utility giants have submitted proposals for the development of the region’s largest Waste-to-Energy (WtE) facilities in Abu Dhabi.

A leader in the integrated coordination of planning, purchasing and supply of water and electricity across UAE, Ewec said these proposals are from a Japanese consortium comprising Marubeni Corporation, Hitachi Zosen Inova and Japan Overseas Infrastructure Investment Corp for Transport & Urban Development, and a consortium with Suez International and Pal Cooling as members.

Set to be one of the region’s largest WtE facilities, the project will have an expected annual processing capacity of 900,000 tonnes of waste, enabling an expected carbon emissions reduction of 1.1 million tonnes per year, said the statement from Ewec.

The greenfield Abu Dhabi WtE Independent Power Project (IPP) is expected to generate enough electricity to power up to 52,500 households, it stated.

CEO Othman Al Ali said: "As a leader of change within the UAE’s energy sector, Ewec is continuously exploring opportunities to drive forward the country’s sustainability agenda and contribute to its transition into a circular economy."

"The reception of these proposals in the midst of the “Year of Sustainability” and in advance of the UAE’s hosting of the much-anticipated global climate change summit, COP28, is a testament to our efforts to support the realisation of the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. We are pleased to have received competitive bids for such a significant project. With this WtE project, we look forward to having a long-lasting, positive impact on communities across the UAE," noted Ali.

Tadweer CEO Engineer Ali Al Dhaheri said: "We are proud to be developing the WtE power plant in collaboration with Ewec, a mega project that contributes to building a sustainable future in the UAE and beyond."

"Receiving these proposals from leading entities demonstrates the keen global interest in such key projects that are utilizing cutting-edge technologies and processes," stated Al Dhaheri.

"We will continue launching major projects that focus on converting waste into value. This supports our mission of building an integrated waste management sector in Abu Dhabi, and working toward achieving the wider country ambitions on driving initiatives that unify efforts for a circular economy," he added.

During the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage, Ewec had received a total of 109 EOIs from potential bidders for the project. The Request for Proposal was issued to bidders that passed a qualification process in July 2022.

Following their submission, the proposals will undergo a detailed technical and commercial evaluation.

The awarding announcement and the execution of the Concession Agreement are expected to take place in Q3. The WtE project has a target commercial operation date of Q4 2026.