Visit of a delegation from the Department of Energy of Abu Dhabi to Canada.
A delegation from the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE) is visiting Canada on a trip, which will end on June 25, to meet with senior government officials and stakeholders from the Canadian energy sector and present the Abu Dhabi’s experience in promoting energy efficiency and sustainability, in addition to discussing opportunities for collaboration in the areas of energy efficiency and advanced clean energy solutions.
The delegation is led by DoE Chairman, Eng. Awaidha Murshed Al Marar, and will include DoE Under Secretary Ahmed Mohamed Al Rumaithi, as well as members of various divisions of the department.
The delegation’s visit to Canada comes at a time when the UAE is preparing to host the 28th United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP28) next year at Expo City Dubai. The conference focuses on a set of key topics, including meeting climate commitments, inclusion for all and working together to implement concrete measures and develop practical solutions to overcome challenges and seize opportunities, in the goal of ensuring a sustainable future for present and future generations.
“This visit to Canada is an important milestone in our efforts at the Department of Energy Abu Dhabi to develop and implement clean energy solutions using the latest technologies in this field,” said HE Eng Awaidha. Murshed Al Marar. “This is a major step towards expanding our network of partners and establishing broader collaboration between the Department and various international bodies to improve energy efficiency and promote clean and renewable energies. It is also an opportunity to develop the sector on sustainable principles.
On the first day of the official trip, Fahad Al Raqbani, UAE Ambassador to Canada, joined the DoE delegation. The agenda included a visit to Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), where delegates met with Mollie Johnson, Assistant Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Canada, to discuss the roles and responsibilities of all parties involved and the relationship between federal and provincial authorities. . Ms. Johnson also provided an overview of current and past energy efficiency programs in Canada, lessons learned in this regard, energy efficiency regulations and the federal government’s strategy to support research and development in the energy sector.
The DoE delegation then traveled to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, where they met with the Commission’s Vice-Chairman, Peter Elder, and Caroline Ducros, Commission’s Chief Executive Officer and Director of SMR Technologies, who presented delegates the Commission’s role and responsibilities, as well as SMR activities in Canada more generally, and more specifically the regulatory frameworks for these reactors. The DoE delegation, for its part, presented the pioneering potential of Abu Dhabi in the energy and clean energy sector.
A visit to the Energy Council of Canada followed, providing DoE visitors with an overview of Canada’s Energy and Climate 101 program and the role the Council plays. The day ended with a visit to the Canadian Nuclear Association, which focused on SMRs.
In Toronto, the delegation met with the Ontario Energy Board and discussed energy market reform and liberalization, as well as related challenges and solutions. After a long day of meetings, including with the Independent Electricity System Operator and the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Howard Shearer, CEO of Hitachi Canada, invited delegates to dinner. The following day, while still in Toronto, the delegation toured the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, followed by a tour of the Darlington Nuclear Mockup Training Center and a meeting with Brian Fehrenbach, Director of business at the Canadian Nuclear Industries Organization (OCNI).
The visit aims to enhance collaboration within the framework of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the DoE and the Ministry of Trade and Export Development of the Province of Saskatchewan in May 2022, which aims to provide a general framework for cooperation between the two entities on sustainable energy; Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS); hydrogen; SMRs and research and development to introduce new and innovative technologies.
The trip continued to Regina, Saskatchewan, where the delegation met with senior provincial government officials, including the Honorable Jim Reiter, Minister of Energy and Resources, and the Honorable Dana Skoropad, Minister of ‘Environment. A roundtable on energy innovation followed, bringing together representatives from the Petroleum Technology Research Centre, the Saskatchewan Resources Council, the University of Regina and the International CCS Knowledge Centre. Each organization gave a brief overview of its mandate and objectives, then covered various topics, such as carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), hydrogen, SMRs, MMRs (micromodular reactors ) and other low-carbon opportunities as fuels from waste.
