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