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Abu Dhabi Scales Up Power and Water Infrastructure

Despite summer population drops, Abu Dhabi hit record electricity usage in August – a trend reflecting an expected doubling of grid demand by 2035 driven by industrial growth, AI infrastructure, and population expansion.

To handle this demand and enhance grid resilience – which recently proved its reliability without service interruptions during regional drone and missile strikes – the emirate is investing $81.7 billion (300 billion dirhams) by 2035.

This investment focuses heavily on transitioning clean energy from 47% of its power mix toward adding 3 GW of solar annually alongside battery storage, while fundamentally shifting seawater desalination from gas-fired thermal systems to electricity-driven reverse osmosis.

Beyond domestic security, Abu Dhabi aims to leverage its resilient water technology and expertise as a global soft power tool, using upcoming international forums like the UN Water Conference to position itself as a global leader in addressing water scarcity.

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