Day: May 6, 2021

ABU DHABI, Masdar and Taaleri Energia, which invests in utility-scale wind and solar assets, have agreed to develop a 65-megawatt (MW) solar photovoltaic (PV) project in Greece. The project will be managed through the companies’ joint venture Masdar-Taaleri Generation (MTG).

The co-development was announced at a virtual signing ceremony, attended by Dionyssios Zois, Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic to the UAE, and Sulaiman Hamed Salem AlMazroui, UAE Ambassador to the Hellenic Republic.

According to Masdar, the project is its first investment in the Greek market and will be developed by MTG alongside local partners, the Constantakopoulos family and Autohellas S.A.

“We are extremely pleased for today’s virtual signing of the agreement between two prominent Greek business groups, the Constantakopoulos family and Autohellas S.A., and the joint venture between Masdar, the UAE’s renewable energy leader, and Finland’s Taaleri Energia, a prominent international player in clean energy, to establish a solar photovoltaic project in Greece,” Zois said.

“We congratulate all the business groups involved and specifically Masdar on their very first investment in the Greek renewable energy sector and we hope that this agreement will pave the way for additional Emirati investments in Greece, either from Masdar or other UAE entities,” he added.

AlMazroui, in turn, stated, “Today’s signing is a milestone occasion that will enhance the longstanding cooperation between Greece and the UAE. We are pleased to support the country’s climate change efforts and contribute to their goal of producing 35 percent of their energy mix from renewables by 2030. We look forward to strengthening our relationship further by expanding our bilateral collaboration in the near future.”

The project is located in the region of Viotia, approximately 65 kilometers north of the Greek capital, Athens, and is in the advanced development stage, with construction expected to be completed in 2023. It is intended that the project will participate in Greece’s feed-in-tariff premium auction scheme in late 2021.

“As we celebrate our fifteenth anniversary in the renewable energy sector, Masdar is proud to be expanding its global presence by making its first investment in Greece. We look forward to working with our partners and leveraging our international expertise in clean energy projects to support the diversification of the country’s energy mix, while advancing our common climate change mitigation goals,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.

“This is a high-quality solar PV development project in one of the Taaleri SolarWind II fund’s key markets for solar investments and further demonstrates the value of our joint venture and cooperation with Masdar,” said Kai Rintala, Managing Director of Taaleri Energia.

When complete, the solar PV plant will produce over 100 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity annually.

“We are proud to be part of this multi-stakeholder venture for the development of a significant photovoltaic project in our country, and to join reputable groups which are leaders in their respective fields. Together, we can contribute to Greece’s and our group’s sustainability targets, in maximizing the use of renewable energy,” said Achilles V. Constantakopoulos.

According to Greece’s National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the country aims to produce 35 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. The plan also targets production of over 60 percent of the country’s electricity consumption through renewables by the same year, doubling its current contribution.

“Autohellas is honoured to be making its first investment in the renewable energy sector alongside reputable, international and local partners with significant expertise in developing solar photovoltaic projects,” said Eftichios Vassilakis, Chief Executive Officer of Autohellas S.A.

The Masdar-Taaleri JV, MTG, was announced at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2019, and is a development vehicle for renewable energy projects in Central and South-Eastern Europe.

Masdar and funds managed by Taaleri Energia are co-investment partners in the 158 MW Cibuk 1 wind farm in Serbia, and recently acquired an equal share in two ready-to-build wind farms in Poland, the 37.4 MW Mlawa Wind Farm and the 14 MW Grajewo Wind Farm.

In the Middle East, the two companies have jointly invested in the development and construction of the Baynouna Solar Energy Project, a 200 MW solar PV plant in Jordan, the largest single-site solar PV project in the country.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Public Prosecution said whoever publicly and unduly wears an official attire specially reserved by law to a class of persons shall be sentenced to up to one year in jail or to a fine of no less than AED10,000.

In its official twitter account today, the PP said “Shall be sentenced to a detention for a term of up to one year or to a fine of no less than AED10,000 whoever publicly and unduly wears an official attire specially reserved by law to a class of person or wears a uniform of rank higher than his, as well a whoever puts on a medal, badge, sign or mark of an office or unduly assumes any of the officially recognised scientific or academic titles or any of the military ranks or public parliamentary attributes.

“This provision applies also in case the apparel or medal or others belong to a foreign country,” it explained.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan, Adviser to the UAE President, has said that the decision to unify the Armed Forces served as a launch pad for the UAE’s development journey.

In a statement marking the 45th UAE Armed Forces Unification Day, Sheikh Sultan stated that the unification of the Armed Forces embodies the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan’s belief in unity.

These ongoing achievements could not have been possible without the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, he added.

Sheikh Sultan also expressed his gratitude to the valiant soldiers who gave their lives to protect the UAE and its people, noting that their sacrifice will serve as an inspiration to future generations regarding the importance of working, dying for one’s country, and maintain its gains.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Dr. Harib Saeed Al Amimi, President of the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) and Chairman of eighth session of Conference of the State Parties (COSP) to United Nation Convention against Corruption (UNCAC), will chair the Special Session of the Conference, which will be held on 7th May, 2021 at the United Nations office in Vienna.

This Special Session is held to adopt the final version of the Political Declaration draft, in accordance with the formal consultation and negotiations on the structure and the context of the Declaration, as per the views of the State Parties made during the discussion sessions, which lasted for more than six months. The Political Declaration draft will be presented at the Special Session of the UN General Assembly on the challenges and measures to prevent and combat the corruption and promote the international cooperation in June.

Dr. Al Amimi stated that this draft is a response to the outcomes of the conference’s 8th session, held in Abu Dhabi at the end of 2019, in accordance with the resolutions of the UN General Assembly, which tasked the conference with taking the necessary measures in preparation for this Declaration.

”The Declaration includes a set of procedures and measures to be followed by the States in order to promote the anti-corruption process and strengthen the principles of integrity, accountability, transparency, and provide technical support to the State Parties by the international cooperation, as well as, the precautions to be taken during crises and emergencies.” He added that the draft reflects the State Parties’ level of concerns about the seriousness of the problems and threats posed by the corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, moral values and justice, and endangering the sustainable development and rule of law.

Al Amiri also stressed that the anti-corruption process will only bear fruit by the concerted actions among the State Parties and the cooperation of the institutions and individuals in addressing all forms of corruption everywhere and at all times.

Source: Emirates News Agency