His Excellency (H.E.) Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC), showcased the role of nuclear technology in decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors during the World Nuclear Symposium 2023, which took place from 6-8 September in London, United Kingdom.
H.E. Al Hammadi along with Dr Angela Wilkinson from the World Energy Council, Todd Noe, Director of Nuclear Technologies Engineering at Microsoft, and Mikal Boe, CEO of Core Power, participated in the discussion session titled ‘Achieving End-users Decarbonization Goals with Nuclear Energy’.
As top nuclear industry leaders, experts and executives gathered at the event, H.E. Al Hammadi highlighted how nuclear can sustainably power energy intensive industries. These include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and datacenters, which are being strengthened by the rapid digital revolution of industries. Data centers alone now utilize 4-5% of total global power supply, and this will only grow as greater digitalization occurs. “The UAE is a success story for harnessing the potential of nuclear energy to create a range of clean products through the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant. Today, we are supporting the green industrialization by providing clean electricity and enabling Clean Energy Certificates. They play an important role in decarbonizing businesses and helping unlock global ESG funds, which are valued at $30 trillion and forecast to double by 2030,” he said.
During the panel, H.E. Al Hammadi also discussed how essential nuclear energy is to Net Zero, and how it can supercharge the energy transition. With urgent global collaboration, nuclear energy can be scaled up to meet energy challenges. He also mentioned that through recognizing nuclear energy as a key clean source for decarbonizing and ensuring its prominence in conversations at events such as COP28, the industry can obtain the necessary support to have the impact required to achieve Net Zero.
The development of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the UAE is a catalyst for innovation and R&D in new areas, including Small Modular Reactors which are a key part of ENEC’s future growth, alongside other next-generation technologies. Nuclear energy and the Barakah Plant are bridges to future fuels such as clean hydrogen and other clean molecules.
WNS aims to highlight nuclear for global growth and prosperity. At this year’s event, the topics in discussion included ‘Fueling Our Nuclear Future: The Nuclear Fuel Report 2023,’ ‘People First: Leading the Industry to Success,’ ‘Investing in Nuclear,’ and ‘Optimizing Plant Life Performance (in collaboration with WANO).’