The Dominican Republic has expressed strong interest in building robust cooperation with the UAE. This move reflects the Dominican Republic’s aim to combat climate change through clean energy initiatives.
Two senior officials from the Caribbean nation highlighted the potential for the UAE’s investments in renewable energy, emphasizing the mutual benefits of such a partnership, in an interview with the Emirates News Agency (WAM) on the sidelines of the International Renewable Energy Agency’s (IRENA) Assembly in Abu Dhabi last week.
Rafael Orlando Gómez Del Giudice, vice minister of Energy of the Dominican Republic, elaborated on the possibilities of bilateral cooperation in the renewable energy sector. He stated that engaging more effectively with the UAE had enabled them to establish open communication channels, share experiences, and seek opportunities for collaboration and joint financing. Del Giudice underscored the growing importance of renewable energy and the potential for joint projects that could benefit both nations, including energy transmission improvements to increase the penetration of renewable energy.
Del Giudice, who was a vice president of the IRENA Assembly, also highlighted the Dominican Republic’s significant strides towards a net-zero future, noting that the country has doubled its renewable energy matrix in the last four years. He added that accelerated deployment of renewable energy would not only lower energy costs for consumers but also create new employment opportunities, stimulate economic activity, and help meet international climate commitments.
Exploring hydrogen as a renewable energy source
The minister mentioned the Dominican Republic’s exploration of hydrogen as a new source of renewable energy and the development of a roadmap for green hydrogen in collaboration with international agencies.
Both officials emphasized the Dominican Republic’s commitment to renewable energy development, despite the country’s status as an island territory without electricity grid connections with other countries or known sources of fossil fuels. They noted that the existing legal and regulatory framework in the Dominican Republic has facilitated foreign investment in renewable energies, positioning the island as a regional benchmark in the electricity sector.
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