Tested by war, Abu Dhabi charts its energy and water future

The News Electricity use in Abu Dhabi reached an all-time high in August despite a summer exodus of residents, as demand on the emirate’s power grid remains on pace to nearly double between 2025 and 2035, Department of Energy Chairman Abdulla Humaid Al Jarwan said. To meet the demand from a growing population, industrial expansion, and AI infrastructure, the emirate is investing 300 billion dirhams ($81. 7 billion) by 2035 to add capacity and shift to cleaner sources, Al Jarwan said.

It’s also transforming its water system to reduce reliance on gas and make seawater desalination cheaper and more efficient. The UAE was the Gulf country most heavily targeted by Iranian drones and missiles in the early months of the war.