Thermal power will continue to be the dominant power generation source in the United Arab Emirates from 2023 to 2035, accounting for 77.7% of the total power generation mix last year, according to GlobalData.

By 2035, thermal power installed capacity is projected to reach 46.1 gigawatts (GW) from 41.2 GW in 2023. The annual generation of thermal power will increase to 155.9 terawatt-hours (TWh) from 135.5 TWh during the same period.

Last year, gas was the dominant technology contributing 99.8% of the thermal capacity, with oil and coil contributing 0.1% each.

“With the discovery of new hydrocarbon reserves, the UAE is planning to invest heavily in hydrocarbon infrastructure and seek to develop new production techniques,” said Sudeshna Sarmah, Power Analyst at GlobalData.

“At present, the country is in the process of choosing new locations to set up new infrastructure and seeking unconventional methods for hydrocarbon production,” it added.