Etihad Rail, the developer and operator of the United Arab Emirates’ national rail network, has signed an agreement with Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, to solarize the railway network’s freight terminal in Ghuweifat.
The project involves a ground-mounted solar PV system with an installed capacity of 600 kilowatt-hours and a 2.56 megawatt-hour battery energy storage system (BESS). Upon completion, the installations are expected to generate up to 85% of the terminal's electricity consumption.
The Ghuweifat freight terminal serves as a key hub for facilitating seamless cross-border operations. With its strategic location at the border with Saudi Arabia, the terminal is positioned to accelerate sustainable logistics regionally, aligning with Etihad Rail’s objective of fostering more eco-friendly freight operations.
Under the terms of the agreement, Etihad Rail will use Emerge’s technology to provide renewable energy during daylight hours, thus offsetting nighttime energy consumption, and reduce carbon emissions by more than 8,500 tonnes over the duration of the contract.
"By leveraging the local and international experience of both Masdar and EDF Group – leading companies in the energy sector – the Emerge joint venture is ideally equipped to support Etihad Rail and other organizations to reduce their environmental impact and become more sustainable on the road to realizing the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 Strategy," says Masdar chief executive officer Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi.
Founded in 2021, Emerge provides distributed solar, energy storage, and hybrid solutions for commercial and industrial applications. As an energy services company, it offers full turnkey solutions through solar power agreements at no up-front cost to the client.
By integrating solar technology into its network, the Ghuweifat terminal will eventually become self-sufficient, harnessing renewable energy to operate sustainably and reduce its carbon footprint, thus setting a new standard for efficient and green logistics and infrastructure, says Etihad Rail.
