A high-level delegation from the UAE Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, led by H.E. Eng. Saif Ghobash, Assistant Undersecretary for the Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Sector, was briefed on the sustainable solutions offered by Lootah Biofuels, a pioneer in the circular economy that produces biofuels from used cooking oil (UCO), highlighting its efforts in innovating clean energy solutions were in line with the UAE’s efforts in transitioning to renewable energy and the strategic initiative to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
The visit, which was attended by a number of officials from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, is part of the Ministry’s ongoing efforts to learn about pioneering clean energy experiences, achievements and challenges in the field and to support partnerships between the public and private sectors to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global economic hub and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
H.E. Eng. Saif Ghobash, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure for the Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Sector, said, “The UAE is committed to achieving the SDGs and the Net-Zero 2050 goals and partnering with the private sector contributes to driving innovation and deploy advanced technologies to ensure that our efforts and initiatives in this regard are accelerated. We are working to explore solutions to the sustainability and clean energy challenges faced by leading companies and institutions to overcome them and work closely with them to achieve the UAE’s strategic clean energy goals.”
His Excellency praised Lootah Biofuels’ expertise in the field of producing biofuels from used cooking oils, and its achievements, which is in line with the UAE’s clean energy goals, pointing to the initiatives, strategies and policies the country has adopted to strengthen efforts to address climate change, such as the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to ensure a balance between economic needs and environmental goals, raise the efficiency of individual and institutional energy consumption, and improve energy efficiency to reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental sustainability.
He stressed that Lootah Biofuels’ efforts support the goals of the UAE Energy Strategy, as well as the National Biofuels Policy and Roadmap for the Transition to Sustainable Aviation Fuels set out by the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, which support strengthening the UAE’s position as a leading producer and exporter of clean energy.
Mr. Yousuf bin Saeed Lootah, CEO of Lootah Biofuels, welcomed the visit of the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure delegation to the company’s biofuel plant and expressed his excitement over the Ministry’s keen interest and support for projects and initiatives aimed at promoting the transition to a circular economy, which is an important pathway for the global and national economy to consolidate sustainable development.
He briefed the delegation on the innovative sustainable solutions the company offers to meet long-term energy needs, as well as the use of clean energy alternatives, as the production of biofuels through the use of used cooking oil has a positive dimension in terms of waste recycling, which is in line with the UAE’s strategies on sustainable development, energy, climate neutrality and circular economy.
He explained that Lootah Biofuels has an extensive network of partners who supply used cooking oil for recycling and biofuel production, with more than 110 partners providing about 500,000 litres of used cooking oil monthly for recycling and biofuel production. The company has set up more than seven biofuel stations in Dubai and Sharjah and plans to operate them in the rest of the emirates and set up a new factory in Abu Dhabi.
“We have an extensive list of customers in the country, which includes more than 200 companies that use biofuels in their transport fleets. We continue to expand our customer base while increasing our production, which currently reaches 6 million litres per year, while exporting biofuels to customers in the Netherlands, Germany, the UK and India,” he said.
Mr. Yousuf Saeed Lootah added: “The UAE Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, which sets the overall framework for sustainable practices and supports the private sector in implementing circular economy principles and practices, confirms the UAE’s commitment to building a solid foundation for the future. We will continue to accelerate the development and deployment of advanced biofuels and green energy technologies and meet the growing demand for sustainable energy sources by producing high-quality, low-carbon biofuels.”
He stressed that Lootah Biofuels is capable of producing aviation biofuel in the country, which is in line with the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure’s roadmap for the transition to sustainable aviation fuel, and said, “We recognise the importance of producing biofuels for the civil aviation sector, which is one of the highest fuel-consuming sectors, and this is in line with trends to reduce airline carbon emissions as studies show that replacing traditional jet fuel with sustainable fuel will reduce carbon emissions by up to 80% at the sector level.”
The delegation from the Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure included Eng. Amal Al Ali, Director of the Department of Oil and Gas Affairs, Saeed Al Qamzi, Head of the Department of Oil and Gas Affairs, Jaber Al Hammadi, Head of the Department of Economic Studies, and a number of officials from the Ministry.
