Abu Dhabi Energy Chief Unveils Integrated Management Concept for Energy, Water, Climate, and Food

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Dr. Abdullah Humaid Al Jarwan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, presented a concept for integrated management of energy, water, climate, and food at the Sustainable Development Week, highlighting the crucial role of the state and regulators as creators and coordinators of complex systems.

According to Dr. Al Jarwan, modern regulators must not only shape policy and manage capital but also understand the technical, operational, and financial aspects of every decision, ensuring long-term value and stability across the entire ecosystem.

He emphasized that integrated regulation is essential for consumer protection, attracting investment, increasing transparency, and maintaining system stability, thereby fostering conditions for economic growth and prosperity. Abu Dhabi’s regulator functions not merely as a supervisory body but as a center of expertise capable of identifying system interconnections and forecasting long-term outcomes of decisions.

This year’s theme, “The Nexus of Four Key Systems,” stresses the need to consider energy, water, climate, and food as a single, interlinked system. Dr. Al Jarwan noted that modern systems must not only reduce emissions but also ensure reliability, accessibility, and competitiveness within a stable social and economic environment. Designing sustainable, scalable, and efficient systems is the foremost challenge of the coming decade.

He cited Abu Dhabi’s energy achievements as an example of successful integration: the share of renewable and clean energy in the city’s optimal energy mix rose from less than 1% to 45% over ten years, with plans to exceed 60% by 2030. More than 3 GW of sustainable and cost-competitive solar energy is added annually, with total renewable generation projected to surpass 33 GW by decade’s end. Battery storage systems exceeding 28 GWh provide grid stability and flexibility, creating a resilient energy model.

Annual operational and development investments in integrated water and energy systems amount to around US$35 billion, with capital expenditures in these sectors expected to exceed US$300 billion by the end of the decade.

Dr. Al Jarwan outlined five priorities for system development: resilience, accessibility, trust, innovation, and collaboration. Resilience ensures systems can absorb shocks, accessibility emphasizes cost-effective technology deployment, trust focuses on reliable and transparent operations, innovation scales effective solutions, and collaboration unites stakeholders toward common goals.

He stressed the importance of engaging financiers, technology developers, and researchers to create integrated solutions that operate effectively in real-world systems, delivering long-term impact. Dr. Al Jarwan also highlighted that the human factor remains the greatest asset: people design, operate, and improve systems, and their role is critical for the successful implementation of Abu Dhabi’s ambitious sustainable development plans.