Skip to main content

"Oil and Renewable Energy Collide: UAE Appoints Controversial Leader as President for Upcoming Climate Summit"


image source: (unsplash: zbynek Burival)

The United Arab Emirates has appointed Sultan al Jaber, the head of the national oil company ADNOC, as the president for the upcoming COP28 climate summit set to take place in Dubai later this year. 

Al Jaber is also the UAE's special envoy on climate change and plays a crucial role in the country's goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, which makes him a highly controversial choice for the role. As the CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co., Al Jaber oversees the pumping of nearly all the crude oil in the UAE, which produces about 3.2 million barrels of oil per day. 

However, it should be noted that Al Jaber is also the chairman of the UAE's largest renewable energy company, Masdar, which has the capacity to produce 20 gigawatts of clean power and plans to invest billions of dollars to increase its capacity to 100 gigawatts globally this decade, which is about double the renewable energy that the U.K. can produce today. 

The COP28 summit will take place from November 30 to December 12 and the president plays a crucial role in setting the agenda and forging a consensus among different nations.

What is Cop?

The COP (Conference of the Parties) climate summits are annual meetings organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to discuss and negotiate international agreements on climate change. 

The first COP summit was held in 1995 and since then, COP summits have been held annually, except for the years when a "review" summit is held, which occurs every five years. 

The main objective of these summits is to review progress in dealing with climate change and to negotiate and implement measures to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. 

The summit's decisions are made by consensus among all participating countries. The outcome of each summit is a set of agreements, known as COP decisions, which lay out action plans and targets for reducing emissions and adapting to the impacts of climate change. 

The most notable agreement reached at COP21 was the Paris Agreement, which was adopted in 2015, and aims to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

source: (Bloomberg, world oil)
#UAE #Cop28 #ClimateChange #Oil #Renewableenergy

Comments

Post a Comment

Hot Topics 🔥

LCOE Benchmarking: Eavor Technologies vs. Fervo Energy

LCOE Compared: Eavor Technologies vs.  Fervo Energy   Two Bets on Next-Generation Geothermal An Alphaxioms Geothermal Insights Analysis | May 2026 Image:  Eavor and Fervo Drilling Rigs well poised in their respective well pads , drill baby , baby what a time to be a live Introduction: Why the Cost Question Matters Now The global geothermal sector is in the middle of a pivotal moment. After decades of stagnation largely confined to volcanic hotspots, two fundamentally different technological approaches are racing to prove that geothermal energy can be deployed broadly, cheaply, and at scale. Eavor Technologies , the Calgary-based advanced geothermal systems (AGS) company, and Fervo Energy , the Houston-based enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) pioneer, represent the sharpest divergence in next-generation geothermal strategy today. Each company is backed by hundreds of millions of dollars in private capital, each has reached key commercial milestones, and each is advancing ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Eavor’s Geretsried Closed-Loop Geothermal Plant Now Powers the Grid

Eavor Technologies Achieves Historic Milestone: World’s First Commercial-Scale Closed-Loop Geothermal System Now Delivering Power in Geretsried, Germany Published: December 2025 By:  Robert Buluma The Day Geothermal Changed Forever On a crisp Bavarian morning in late 2025, a quiet revolution in clean energy officially went live.   Eavor Technologies Inc ., the Calgary-based pioneer of closed-loop geothermal technology, announced that its flagship commercial project in Geretsried, Germany has begun delivering power to the grid becoming the world’s first utility-scale multilateral closed-loop geothermal system to achieve commercial operation. For anyone who has followed the geothermal sector for the last decade, this is nothing short of seismic (pun intended). What Makes Eavor’s Closed-Loop System Truly Disruptive? Traditional geothermal plants rely on naturally occurring hot water reservoirs or enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) that require hydraulic fracturing and massiv...
Post a Comment
Read more

Geothermal Energy Powers Next Generation Sustainable Data Centers

Geothermal Power Meets Data Centers in Strategic Shift By: Robert Buluma The global energy landscape is undergoing a profound transformation, and at the heart of this shift lies an unexpected but powerful convergence: geothermal energy and digital infrastructure . In a move that signals both ambition and foresight, Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGEO) is preparing to expand beyond its traditional role as a power producer and enter the rapidly growing data center industry . This is not just another diversification strategy. It is a calculated leap into the future—one that aligns renewable energy with the insatiable demand for digital services. The implications are far-reaching, not only for Indonesia but for the global energy-tech nexus. A Bold Step Beyond Electricity For decades, geothermal companies have largely focused on one thing: generating electricity. PGEO , a subsidiary of Indonesia’s energy giant Pertamina, has been no exception. With a growing portfolio of geothermal assets and...
Post a Comment
Read more

Engie advances geothermal exploration for Réunion Island energy independence

Engie’s Geothermal Ambitions in Réunion Island: A Turning Point for Energy Independence in Volcanic Territories By: Robert Buluma In a world increasingly defined by the urgency of energy transition, remote island territories stand at the frontline of both vulnerability and opportunity. The recent move by to secure a geothermal exploration permit in marks more than just another project milestone—it signals a potential transformation in how isolated regions harness their natural resources to break free from fossil fuel dependency. This development, centered in the Cafres-Palmistes highlands, is not merely about drilling wells or building a power plant. It is about unlocking the immense geothermal promise hidden beneath volcanic landscapes, navigating environmental sensitivities, and setting a precedent for sustainable energy in island economies worldwide. A Strategic Foothold in Volcanic Terrain Réunion Island, located east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean, is a geological marvel...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ormat raises concerns over Kenya Power payment delays

When Power Stalls: Payment Delays Threaten Kenya’s Geothermal Momentum By: Robert Buluma Kenya’s geothermal story has long been told as one of Africa’s most compelling energy success narratives—a nation that dared to dig deep into the Earth and emerged with a reliable, renewable backbone for its electricity grid. From the steaming plains of Olkaria to the ambitious expansions across the Rift Valley, geothermal has positioned Kenya as a continental leader in clean baseload power. But beneath this success lies a growing tension—one that could quietly undermine the very foundation of this progress. Recent signals from , one of Kenya’s key independent power producers, have cast a spotlight on a familiar yet dangerous challenge: delayed payments from . What may appear as a routine financial hiccup is, in reality, a warning sign with far-reaching implications for investment, energy security, and the future trajectory of geothermal development in Kenya. The Backbone of Kenya’s Energy System T...
Post a Comment
Read more

BRIN and Geo Dipa Advance Modular Geothermal Wellhead Power

BRIN and Geo Dipa Pioneer Modular Wellhead Technology for Small-Scale Geothermal Power Revolution By: Robert Buluma Opening Perspective: A Quiet Revolution at the Wellhead Across Indonesia’s volcanic arc, geothermal energy has long been viewed through the lens of massive power stations—multi-well, multi-megawatt installations requiring years of development and heavy capital investment. But a quieter transformation is emerging. Instead of waiting years for large-scale geothermal plants, engineers and researchers are now asking a radical question: What if geothermal power could begin at the wellhead itself—small, fast, modular, and locally distributed? This is exactly the direction being taken by Indonesia’s national research agency BRIN in collaboration with state geothermal developer Geo Dipa Energi . Their joint effort to develop modular wellhead technology for small-scale geothermal power plants represents one of the most important shifts in geothermal development strategy in...
Post a Comment
Read more

Star Energy Begins Lampung Geothermal Drilling, Unlocking Indonesia’s Potential

Star Energy’s Lampung Drilling Campaign: Indonesia’s Next Geothermal Frontier Awakens The ground beneath Lampung has waited long enough. For years, the Sekincau geothermal prospect in southern Sumatra existed as a promise—mapped, studied, debated, and cautiously anticipated. Beneath its surface lies a force that has powered civilizations in silence: geothermal energy. Now, that silence is about to be broken. In 2026, is preparing to initiate what could become one of the most consequential geothermal drilling campaigns in Indonesia’s recent history. The move signals more than just another exploration program—it marks a decisive step into Indonesia’s next geothermal frontier. This is not just drilling. This is ignition. The Sekincau Prospect: From Geological Promise to Strategic Reality Located in Lampung Province, the Sekincau geothermal field represents a classic greenfield opportunity—untapped, uncertain, and filled with both risk and transformative potential. Unlike brownfield expan...
Post a Comment
Read more

Daiwa Can Launches Offsite Corporate PPA with Kyuden, TEPCO

Geothermal Power Meets Corporate Demand: A New Era of Offsite PPA Decarbonization In a world racing toward decarbonization, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: renewable energy must not only be clean—it must also be reliable. While solar and wind have dominated the conversation for years, their intermittency continues to challenge industries that rely on uninterrupted power. Now, a groundbreaking development from Japan is redefining what corporate renewable energy procurement can look like, and at the center of it lies geothermal power. In April 2026, Daiwa Can Company, in partnership with Kyuden Mirai Energy and Tokyo Electric Power Company Energy Partner, launched an innovative offsite corporate Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) powered by geothermal energy. This initiative is more than just a contract—it represents a paradigm shift in how industries can secure stable, low-carbon electricity while mitigating operational risks. The Rising Importance of Corporate PPAs Corporate ...
Post a Comment
Read more

KenGen’s Sh32bn project stalled amid donor funding dispute

Donor Funding Row Freezes KenGen’s Sh32 Billion Geothermal Ambition A Billion-Shilling Dream Stalls in Kenya’s Energy Heartland By:  Robert Buluma In the shadow of the steaming vents and rugged volcanic terrain of Hell’s Gate National Park, one of Kenya’s most ambitious clean energy expansions has hit an unexpected wall. The multi-billion-shilling geothermal project led by the Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) — valued at approximately Sh32 billion — has been frozen following a donor funding dispute. What was once a symbol of Kenya’s global leadership in geothermal energy now finds itself entangled in financial uncertainty, bureaucratic friction, and the fragile nature of international development financing. The pause is more than a delay in infrastructure delivery. It is a signal of how modern energy transitions, even in globally admired renewable hubs like Kenya, are still deeply dependent on external capital flows, policy alignment, and institutional trust betwe...
Post a Comment
Read more

Oil Giant Goes Deep for Clean Heat: Occidental Drills 4 Miles Underground in Colorado – Fastest Superduper Geothermal Well Yet

The Quiet Revolution Underground: How an Oil Giant Drilled 4 Miles Deep for Geothermal Heat And What It Means for the Future of Clean Energy By:  Robert Buluma  Date:March 6, 2026 Imagine this: In the flat, oil-soaked plains of Weld County, Colorado—where drilling rigs have long been synonymous with fossil fuels—a massive rig rises quietly last spring. No fanfare, no press releases blasting headlines. Just Occidental Petroleum (Oxy) , the oil behemoth better known for pumping black gold, sinking twin boreholes nearly four miles (about 20,000 feet) into the Earth. Not for oil or gas this time—but for something far more revolutionary: limitless, carbon-free heat from the planet's depths. Completed in under six weeks starting April 2025, this secretive project—dubbed GLADE (Geothermal Limitless Approach to Drilling Efficiencies)—has sent ripples through the geothermal world. Backed by a $9 million U.S. Department of Energy grant from 2022, GLADE wasn't about extracting hydrocarb...
Post a Comment
Read more