Good morning, folks. It’s another busy day as the news cycle shows no signs of mercy, we have big news emerging from Saudi with an incoming merger from Ma’aden and Bahrain’s Alba. There’s also an update on Abud Dhabi’s third utility–scale solar park, and significant moves made in Kuwait’s energy transition ambitions. Let’s jump right in with the latest from COP29’s Presidency…

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- COP29 will focus on battery storage goals: COP29 host Azerbaijan aims for countries to come to an agreement on a new funding target to help developing countries grapple with climate change. The COP29 presidency outlined a dozen side initiatives that do not require party negotiation, including new funds, pledges, and declarations that national governments can adopt. Azerbaijan also wants countries to sign onto a pledge to increase global energy storage capacity six fold above 2022 levels to 1.5 TW by 2030, according to the newly released action agenda.

A new climate fund? Among the voluntary initiatives pitched is a new climate finance action fund with a USD 1 bn target where fossil-fuel producing countries and companies can make voluntary payments based on the volume of oil, gas and coal they produce.

REMEMBER- Azerbaijan is no stranger to criticism: There has been widespread criticism over Azerbaijan being chosen to host COP29 as a country dependent on oil production. Some 90% of Azerbaijan’s export revenues, and between 30-50% of its GDP come from its oil and gas sector. BP and other oil giants have also been investing in the country, transferring some USD 35 bn worth of oil and gas production to Azerbaijan since 2020. The country’s gas flaring activity even hit a decade high last year.

The story grabbed some ink in the international press: Reuters | Financial Times | Deutsche Welle

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Morocco is the latest country to consider implementing a carbon tax with plans to release a roadmap on how to price emissions and tax them next year, according to the OECD’s Economic Survey of Morocco (pdf). Morocco currently has no explicit pricing, trading system, or tax system in place for carbon emissions which means only 30% of emissions are subject to a pricing mechanism as opposed to the 70% taxed by other OECD members. The OECD recommends starting at USD 10 per ton of emissions before gradually increasing the figure.

What does Morocco stand to gain? Morocco’s GDP would increase by 0.8% if the OECD’s recommended taxation strategy is implemented, according to OECD’s survey. If the tax is paired with other OECD recommendations such as taxes on diesel, higher water prices, and the implementation of water withdrawal fees, the country’s GDP could rise 1.4-1.5%.

Morocco could also benefit from aligning with CBAM: Morocco would benefit from aligning their carbon tax with the EU Carbon Border Adjustment (CBAM) given that 15% of its exports to the EU will be subject to the tax, particularly its iron and steel sectors. The UK is already working on its own carbon border tax which it hopes to implement at the same time as the EU to avoid dumping of high emission steel meant for the EU in its domestic market.

REMEMBER- The EU will fully implement CBAM in 2026 requiring importers to pay a full tax equal to what European firms pay in Europe’s carbon market. The CO2 levy’s initial phase will require firms importing steel, cement, aluminum, electricity, fertilizers and hydrogen into the EU to report CO2 emissions emitted during the production of such goods. If they fail to report such emissions, companies will be in risk of fines of up to EUR 50 per ton of CO2. The WTO however thinks the world should implement global carbon pricing to mitigate trade disputes.

IN OTHER MOROCCO NEWS- Morocco to establish its first offshore wind plant: The European Investment Bank (EIB) has launched a tender for technical assistance to conduct a feasibility study for a wind project off Morocco’s Atlantic coast, Spanish outlet El Economista reports. The Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (MASEN) aims to develop its first offshore wind farm near Essaouira but no capacity for the project was disclosed. The project is valued at EUR 2 mn and is set to take two years.

REMEMBER- Morocco has huge offshore wind capacity: Morocco has an estimated 200 GW of offshore wind potential, with the European Investment Bank recently granting USD 2 bn to the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy for a feasibility study on Morocco’s Atlantic coast.

#2- The first of four vertiports in Dubai will kick off operations in 1Q 2026, head of transportation systems at the Roads and Transport Authority, Khaled Al Awadhi, said on the sidelines of the World Congress and Exhibition on Intelligent Transport Systems, state news agency Wam reports.

We already knew this was going to happen: The RTA agreed with electric aircraft developer Joby Aviation to launch air taxis in 1Q 2026, with the company recently saying it plans to launch them in Dubai by late 2025. The company said it will kick off infrastructure work later this year, begin initial flights in early 2025, and aims for full commercialization by year-end.The taxis will be designed to carry a pilot and four passengers at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour, slashing journey times from DXB to Palm Jumeirah to 10 minutes, down from 45 minutes by car.

IN OTHER UAE NEWS- Abu Dhabi's Energy Department plans to issue a new unified water management strategy to rationalize consumption and conserve resources, chairman of the department Awaidha Al Marar told Wam on the sidelines of the World Utilities Congress. The strategy is being developed in collaboration with strategic partners and relevant authorities, and will cover all stages of water management, from production to consumption, and will assess water usage value, investigate loss rates, and promote conservation methods.

#3- Australia’s hydrogen strategy could include partnering with Oman: Australia’s updatedhydrogen strategy (pdf) can see the country partner with Oman on hydrogen projects, according to a statement by the Australian Business Group Oman (ABGO). The paths for collaboration include direct international investment in Australian hydrogen projects, R&D, JVs in green metals, ammonia, and low-carbon fuels, and partnerships between Australian service providers and Omani hydrogen initiatives.

About the strategy: Australia aims to produce 15-30 mn tonnes of hydrogen annually by 2050. The government will offer around AUD 8 bn in incentives and expects to reel in about AUD 50 mn in private investments. The strategy will focus on international partnerships, co-investment, and large-scale export and manufacturing industries.

Oman already invested in Australia’s hydrogen projects: The venture capital arm of Oman Investment Authority (OIA) IDO Investments invested an undisclosed amount in Australian electrolyzer company Hysata’s latest series B funding round last May. The USD 111 mn secured from the round will go towards expanding Hysata’s production capacity and developing technology for gigawatt-scale electrolyzer manufacturing for use in decarbonizing heavy industries.

#4- Von der Leyen appoints new commission with focus on climate: European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen has assembled a new team to lead the institution for the next five years, emphasizing climate change as the “major backdrop of all what we are doing,” Reuters reports. Dutch politician Wopke Hoekstra will serve as the new climate chief in charge of navigating the EU's path to achieving a 90% emission reduction target for 2040 and translating it into a legally binding document. Hoekstra will also tackle the removal of tax incentives for fossil fuels and accelerate the development of a single carbon market.

A sign of the times: Spain’s Energy and Environment Minister Teresa Ribera will step up as the new antitrust chief in charge of regulating Big Tech. Ribera is expected to ramp up efforts to reign in the tech industry and ensure the European market is not disrupted by companies tapping into foreign subsidies.

COP WATCH-

Tick, tock: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members from a group of developing countries remain deadlocked on how to move forward on an agreement to restrict funding of foreign oil and gas projects by their export credit agencies, Bloomberg reports. The group is looking to expand a ban on financing of unabated coal-fired power plants adopted in 2021 to include the restriction of financing by export credit agencies, which could put a dent in the financing to fossil fuel projects. G20 nations extended USD 30 bn in financing fossil fuel projects in 2022, led by Canada and South Korea, according to data from climate advocacy group Oil Change International.

When do we stand? OECD members have held talks since COP28 trying to navigate a solution to how to implement the initiative put forward by European nations last November and discussions are reaching a fever pitch as COP29 approaches. Opposition to the plan is coming from South Korea and Turkey, with amendments requested last week by the US on the existing proposal, sources with knowledge of the talks tell Bloomberg. A virtual meeting is scheduled for early October with a vote potentially happening as soon as November, the sources added.

THE SCORECARD-

#1- The global clean hydrogen project pipeline saw a seven-fold increase in committed capital reaching final investment decision (FID) over the past four years, according to a new report (pdf) by the Hydrogen Council. The report highlights that the number of projects has surged from 228 in 2020 to approximately 1.6k in 2024, with committed investments rising from USD 10 bn to USD 75 bn. The growth underscores a shift from planning to implementation, with notable increases in investments past FID and in front-end engineering design (FEED) stage projects.

Challenges still persist: There are still delays in projects getting off the ground due to macroeconomic challenges and sector-specific issues like regulatory uncertainty and rising costs, the report states. The report emphasizes the need for accelerated deployment to meet global climate goals despite the progress shown in securing capital.

#2- Onshore wind turbine orders reached 91.2 GW in 1H 2024, a 23% increase y-o-y, driven by high demand in northern China, according to new analysis by energy consultancy firm Wood Mackenzie. Global developer investments totaled USD 42 bn, up 3% from the previous year. China dominated the market with 70 GW of domestic orders and an additional 5 GW abroad, accounting for 80% of global intake in 1H. India also saw significant growth with a 69% increase in orders.

The West is struggling to keep up: Western original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) struggled due to competition and reduced demand, contributing just 13% of global intake. The Americas and Europe saw a 42% decline with less than 10 GW of combined orders. Offshore wind projects faced challenges as well with a 38% decline in order intake. Despite nearly 30 GW of conditional offshore orders globally, particularly in Europe and the US, these projects remain delayed.

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Tunisia will host the Decarbomed Forum from Tuesday, 24 September to Wednesday, 25 September in Tunis. The forum will showcase innovative solutions for transitioning to carbon neutrality in Tunisia and the Mediterranean region, focusing on helping businesses take advantage of new tech, renewable energy services, and green financing mechanisms to decarbonize operations.

The UAE will host the Green Steel Summit from Wednesday, 25 September to Thursday, 26 September in Dubai. The event will bring together steel industry professionals and decision makers to discuss market intelligence and the latest technological developments in sustainable steelmaking.

Egypt will host the Portfolio Egypt conference on Monday, 30 September in Cairo. The event aims to enhance cooperation among Arab stock exchanges and will cover crucial topics including market integration, product diversification, carbon markets, and regional debt markets. It will aim to outline recommendations to strengthen regional financial markets.

Egypt will host Cairo Sustainable Energy Week from Tuesday, 1 October to Thursday, 3 October in Cairo. The event will bring together policymakers, companies, and experts to discuss collaboration on the renewable energy transition across 17 Arab countries.

The UAE will host the World Green Economy Summit from Wednesday, 2 October to Thursday, 3 October in Dubai. The summit will promote the push for a green economy and will offer a platform for international entities to collaborate on sustainable development, financing, and policymaking.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.