Under the agreement, EMSTEEL will procure electricity generated from certified clean nuclear energy within the framework of the Clean Energy Certificates Program (I-REC standard), which is managed by Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC).
This step highlights the role of nuclear energy in clean manufacturing while aiming to strengthen the UAE’s global leadership in sustainable industrial growth. It also advances EMSTEEL’s TrueGreen sustainability brand, which consolidates the company’s long-term decarbonization efforts under a single umbrella.
The development builds on the nearly decade-long strategic partnership between EMSTEEL and ENEC. During the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant the MENA region’s first operational multi-unit nuclear power facility EMSTEEL supplied 160,000 tonnes of nuclear-grade rebar, meeting 60% of the project’s total steel reinforcement requirements.
By purchasing Clean Energy Certificates generated from nuclear power, EMSTEEL gains direct access to low-carbon electricity, reducing its Scope 2 emissions and lowering the overall carbon footprint of steel produced in the UAE. This move positions EMSTEEL as the first regional steel producer to utilize nuclear-based Clean Energy Certificates, highlighting innovation and accountability in one of the hardest-to-abate sectors.
Currently, the company has integrated 86% clean electricity in steel production and 14% in cement production into its operations. In this context, 1,484,067 megawatt-hours of nuclear energy and 651,594 megawatt-hours of solar energy certificates (for steel and cement production) are being utilized. In line with its long-term decarbonization roadmap, EMSTEEL aims to achieve 100% clean electricity usage by 2030.
Commenting on the agreement, Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, stated that clean energy, technology, and verified data lie at the heart of credible industrial decarbonization, adding:
“Through TrueGreen, we are embedding these principles across all our operations. This synergy with ENEC strengthens our clean energy portfolio while supporting our goal of scaling low-carbon steel production. This collaboration is a powerful example of how national partnerships can accelerate industrial transformation.”
Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Group CEO of ENEC, emphasized that aligning ENEC’s carbon-free baseload electricity with EMSTEEL’s continuous industrial demand demonstrates how the energy transition works in practice. He noted that this partnership not only reduces Scope 2 emissions but also enhances competitiveness and supply chain security, adding that as demand from artificial intelligence, electrification, and industry grows, the proven performance of the Barakah Plant enables the UAE to decouple growth from emissions.
The agreement underscores how cross-sector partnerships are accelerating the UAE’s industrial transformation while positioning EMSTEEL as a regional benchmark in low-carbon steel production. This approach demonstrates that the energy transition and industrial competitiveness can progress hand in hand in line with the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategy.
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