The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has signed a collaboration agreement with DP World, a UAE-based global supply chain solutions company. Through the agreement, the two organizations will collaborate on decarbonizing the shipping and ports sectors, aligning current infrastructure, logistics, and processes with the demands of the energy transition, and scaling up the use of renewable-based fuels and electrification, according to an article published on its website.
About the deal
The signing took place at the DP World’s Headquarters in Dubai between IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera and DP World Group Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, just days ahead of the United Nations (UN) Climate Conference COP28 in Dubai.
IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera said, “To align with the goals of the Paris Agreement and meet the demands of a transforming energy landscape, we must overcome existing infrastructure barriers, including in shipping and ports. By partnering with DP World, we aim to transform these sectors, making them more conducive to the global energy transition, where renewables-based fuels will play an increasingly prominent role.”
The Director-General also commended DP World’s innovative use of smart electrification and its efforts to decarbonize its operations by 2040. Carbon emissions from the company’s UAE operations have been reduced by nearly 50% this year, with Jebel Ali port’s electricity now sourced entirely from renewable sources provided by the local utility provider.
According to IRENA’s World Energy Transitions Outlook, infrastructure upgrades need to accommodate the global trade of renewable fuels between low-cost supply and high-demand regions, proactively linking countries to promote the diversification and resilience of energy systems. The shipping sector itself must also rely on a diverse mix of low-carbon fuels to stay in line with the 1.5°C target, with ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen making up nearly 61% of the fuel mix by 2050.
Through the agreement, IRENA and DP World aim to collaborate on scaling up efforts to address supply, infrastructure, and technological challenges that can increase the uptake of these renewables-based fuels.
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Source: Irena
