EMSTEEL has announced new progress with the Emirates Nuclear Energy Company (ENEC) to decarbonise steel production by sourcing clean, nuclear-generated electricity through Abu Dhabi’s Clean Energy Certificates Programme, certified under the I-REC Standard and managed by Emirates Water & Electricity Company (EWEC).

The move enables EMSTEEL to access verified low-carbon electricity, directly reducing its Scope 2 emissions and lowering the overall carbon footprint of steel produced in the UAE. The company said it is the first steelmaker in the region to utilise Clean Energy Certificates generated from nuclear power, positioning it at the forefront of decarbonisation in one of the world’s most carbon-intensive industries.

The latest development builds on a decade-long partnership between EMSTEEL and ENEC. During the construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant – the first multi-unit operational nuclear facility in the Middle East and North Africa – EMSTEEL supplied 160,000 tonnes of nuclear-grade rebar, accounting for around 60% of the project’s total rebar requirements.

EMSTEEL said the initiative supports TrueGreen, its sustainability identity that brings together its long-running decarbonisation efforts. The company has now integrated 86 per cent clean electricity across its steel operations and 14% across cement production. In total, this includes 1,484,067 MWh from nuclear power and 651,594 MWh from solar certificates across both businesses. EMSTEEL aims to reach 100 per cent clean electricity by 2030 as part of its long-term decarbonisation roadmap.

Eng Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi, Group CEO of EMSTEEL, said, “Clean energy, technology enablement, and verified data are central to credible industrial decarbonisation. Through TrueGreen, we are integrating these principles into every aspect of our operations. This synergy with ENEC strengthens our clean energy portfolio and supports our long-term strategy to scale low-carbon steel production. It reflects how national partnerships can accelerate industrial transformation and position the UAE as a global leader in sustainable manufacturing.”

His Excellency Mohamed Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Group CEO of ENEC, said, “Pairing ENEC’s carbon-free baseload electricity with EMSTEEL’s continuous industrial load demand shows what the energy transition looks like in practice: clean power at industrial scale, delivered with traceable certificates while in parallel ensuring grid reliability.”

The collaboration highlights how cross-sector partnerships are supporting the UAE’s Net Zero 2050 Strategy, while reinforcing the role of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, which supplies up to 25 per cent of the country’s electricity demand and avoids around 22.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world’s largest producer of premium aluminium, and Sunstone, the world’s largest independent pre-baked anode producer, have announced that construction of a new anode manufacturing plant in the UAE will commence in 2026.

The facility will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes of anodes, marking a significant step towards the UAE’s industrial ambitions under the Make it in the Emirates and Operation 300bn strategies. Once operational, the plant will replace the majority of EGA’s current anode imports and position the UAE among a select group of countries capable of exporting anodes globally. First anode production is anticipated as early as 2028.

EGA and Sunstone formalised the project through a Joint Venture Agreement, with EGA holding a 45 per cent stake and Sunstone 55 per cent. The partners plan to invest approximately US$300 million, proportionate to their respective shareholdings, to develop the new plant. Sunstone will be responsible for building the facility on behalf of the joint venture, with EGA acting as a financial investor and off-taker.

New UAE facility

Anodes are a critical input in aluminium smelting. EGA currently produces around 1.35 million tonnes of anodes annually at its Jebel Ali and Al Taweelah plants, with the remainder of its requirements sourced through imports. The new UAE-based facility will significantly strengthen EGA’s long-term security of supply while supporting domestic industrial growth and export potential.

Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer of EGA, said, “This project creates additional export opportunities for the UAE, further increases EGA’s local procurement and our contribution to UAE economic growth, and supports EGA’s long-term security of anode supply. We are pleased to partner with Sunstone, combining our decades of anode manufacturing experience to establish their first plant outside China in the UAE. This project is Make it in the Emirates and Operation 300bn in action – leveraging UAE industrial demand to build new manufacturing in the UAE to meet local needs and expand exports.”

Lang Guanghui, Chairman of Sunstone, added, “We are honoured to establish our first overseas foothold in the UAE and partner with a benchmark enterprise like EGA, which carries half a century of industry heritage and a mission to shape the future of aluminium. This collaboration represents a substantive move by both parties to respond to the green transformation of global manufacturing. We will go all out to set new benchmarks in efficiency and lay a solid foundation for future sustainable operations.”

EGA and Sunstone have been collaborating through a series of early-stage agreements during project development, most recently signing a joint development agreement at the Make it in the Emirates Forum in May 2025, underscoring their commitment to advancing the UAE’s industrial and export capabilities.

Fakhruddin Properties and Holcim UAE have signed an MoU to jointly advance sustainable construction across the UAE and the wider region.

The agreement brings together Fakhruddin Properties, one of the UAE’s leading sustainability-oriented developers, and Holcim UAE, a key partner for sustainable construction solutions.

It also marks a regional milestone for Holcim, representing its first MoU with a developer headquartered in the Middle East. The partnership reflects Holcim’s ambition to expand its regional footprint while supporting the UAE’s net-zero goals through low-carbon and circular building practices.

The collaboration will draw on Holcim UAE’s expertise in low-carbon and circular construction under its NextGen Growth 2030 strategy, alongside Fakhruddin Properties’ long-standing commitment to sustainable development. Together, the partners aim to deliver future-ready communities that balance environmental responsibility with social value.

Sustainable operations

Fakhruddin Properties is recognised as a multi award-winning sustainability pioneer in the UAE’s real estate sector. The developer introduced the country’s first in-building waste management system, diverting 90% of waste from landfills, and continues to focus on wellness-driven developments through smart home solutions, air purification systems and energy-efficient technologies designed to address rising global energy consumption.

Commenting on the announcement, Yousuf Fakhruddin, CEO and managing director, Fakhruddin Properties, said, “This MoU supports the UAE’s national sustainability agenda and aligns with the 2015 Paris Agreement, reinforcing the UAE’s long-held commitment to achieving net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050. We will work closely with Holcim UAE to reduce both embodied and operational carbon, promote circular economy principles, and scale practical sustainability solutions with full transparency.

“For example, low-carbon materials supplied by Holcim and other manufacturers will be a staple across our future projects. This partnership demonstrates that effective decarbonization requires joint efforts across developers, sustainable solution providers, as well as government and industry stakeholders, combining innovation with measurable climate action.”

Ali Said, CEO, Holcim UAE, added, “Sustainability is not just a goal, it is a shared responsibility that requires collaboration, transparency, and innovation. Through this partnership, we will embed low-carbon, circular, and resilient practices across the built environment. By ensuring traceability of materials along the entire value chain and integrating sustainable design and construction solutions, we will create communities that support wellbeing, respect the environment and nature, and set new benchmarks for sustainable development, starting with the UAE.”