Masdar, the landmark initiative by the Abu Dhabi Government promoting advanced energy and sustainability, signed an agreement with Emirates CMS Power Company to develop a project under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol which will reduce carbon dioxide emissions at Emirates CMS power generation facility at the Taweela industrial zone in Abu Dhabi.

The CDM, a project-based mechanism governed and audited by the United Nations (UN), provides financial incentives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developing countries by turning emission reductions into tradable assets or “carbon credits”.
The CDM project, the first in the power sector in the Gulf, aims at increasing energy efficiency and reducing CO2 emissions at Taweela A2 Power Plant, through the recovery and utilisation of waste heat in the desalination process.
The CDM project will be developed by Masdar subject to the approval of Abu Dhabi’s power sector Regulation and Supervision Bureau.
The CDM project consists of various steps including GHG emission analysis, regulatory documentation, validation and registration at the United Nations.
Brian Jackson, managing director of Emirates CMS Power’s Taweela A2, said “We are looking to optimise fuel consumption and minimise environmental impact by implementing energy efficiency projects at the plant, and the CDM provides us with economic incentives to realise our plans”.
Sam Nader, director of Masdar’s Carbon Management Unit, said “We consider this project an important milestone in driving the CDM and the progress to achieve a low-carbon culture in the power sector in Abu Dhabi and the region”.
Masdar, a leading carbon-related project developer, is leveraging the CDM to assist in the creation of the necessary conditions for sustainable growth in the region and to address key environmental concerns. Masdar is actively developing a portfolio of CDM projects in oil and gas, power, renewable energy and heavy industry.
Masdar, which means “the source” in Arabic, has four primary objectives, namely to help drive the economic diversification of Abu Dhabi; maintain – and expand – Abu Dhabi’s position in evolving global energy markets; help Abu Dhabi become a developer of technology and make a meaningful contribution to sustainable human development. Driven by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC), Masdar is a wholly owned company of the government of Abu Dhabi through the Mubadala Development Company.
It is a comprehensive investment in future energy solutions and clean technology – from design to research laboratory to mass deployment.