Abu Dhabi awards contract for first waste-to-energy facility

A joint venture between Dubai’s Alec Engineering and Contracting (Alec) and Lebanon’s Butec has secured a contract to design and construct Abu Dhabi’s inaugural waste-to-energy plant.

According to a statement by Alec, the joint venture will collaborate with Hitachi Zosen Innova, a Swiss-based cleantech company, for the project.

Situated near the Al-Dhafra landfill, the facility is being developed by state-owned Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) and Abu Dhabi Waste Management Company (Tadweer). It is slated to process 900,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste annually for the next 30 years.

The project’s objective is to mitigate the release of over 1 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions annually. Additionally, the plant will contribute 80 megawatts of power generation capacity from a non-fossil fuel source.

The Alec-Butec joint venture will manage the engineering, procurement, and construction of all non-process-related activities. This includes civil engineering, concrete and structural steel work, as well as the installation of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, along with building services.

Abu Dhabi’s non-oil growth has been stimulated by its manufacturing sector, positioning it as a global contender in life sciences. The emirate is also aiming to create 178,000 new jobs in the tourism industry.

Furthermore, the waste-to-energy project will encompass managing external works and site infrastructure development. However, specific details regarding financial aspects and construction timelines have not been provided.

According to reports from the UAE state-backed Wam news agency in March 2023, the waste-to-energy project is targeted to commence commercial operations in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Alec, which is owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai, has partnered with Butec, partially owned by the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group, for this project.