{"id":88796,"date":"2024-12-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-23T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/climate\/2024\/12\/23\/agriculture-ev-and-water-management-updates-from-tunisia-uae-ksa-and-morocco\/"},"modified":"2024-12-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-23T00:00:00","slug":"agriculture-ev-and-water-management-updates-from-tunisia-uae-ksa-and-morocco","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/climate\/2024\/12\/23\/agriculture-ev-and-water-management-updates-from-tunisia-uae-ksa-and-morocco\/","title":{"rendered":"Agriculture, EV, and water management updates from Tunisia, UAE, KSA, and Morocco"},"content":{"rendered":"

DEBT WATCH-<\/p>\n

Tunisia <\/strong>ratifies <\/strong>USD 14 mn loan agreement for agricultural restoration project:<\/strong> Tunisia\u2019s parliament has ratified a USD 14 mn loan agreement with the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support a project focused on agroforestry and restoring pastoral lands and degraded water and oasis systems in Beja, Siliana, and Bizerte governorates, according to a statement<\/a> released on Thursday. The project \u2014 running from 2024 to 2029 \u2014 aims to provide funds for small-scale enterprises, restore 3k hectares of degraded lands, fund forest protection patrols, enhance water usage, and improve agricultural productivity. The project is set to cost a total of USD 23.7 mn, including funds from national contributions and an additional USD 3 mn grant from AfDB.<\/p>\n

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ELECTRIC VEHICLES-<\/p>\n

UAEV will begin charging drivers for EV charging services next year: <\/strong>Emirates\u2019 first state-owned EV charging company UAEV will implement a unified electric vehicle charging fee system starting in January 2025, Wam<\/a> reported on Thursday. Customers using the company\u2019s network will pay AED 1.2 per KWh for DC chargers and AED 0.7 per kWh for AC chargers. UAEV will also launch an app for users to assist in finding charging stations, make payments, and have access to a customer support call center. <\/p>\n

REMEMBER: <\/strong>UAEV\u2019s charging units have been available at no cost this year. The company said earlier this year that it was targeting installing up to 100 160 KW fast-charging units by this year\u2019s end<\/a> and some 1k units by 2030.<\/p>\n

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ENOC<\/strong> Group taps Terra to roll out a new network of battery-swapping stations for e-bikes <\/strong>across the UAE<\/strong>, aiming to accelerate adoption among last-mile delivery businesses, according to a statement<\/a> released last week. The initiative introduces a Batteries-as-a-Service model<\/a> \u2014 which aims to delink battery costs from the vehicles themselves \u2014 to reduce battery costs, charging times, and range limitations, supporting UAE\u2019s broader push into sustainable transport solutions. <\/p>\n

REMEMBER- <\/strong>UAE\u2019s Drive Terra<\/a> launched MENA\u2019s first smart battery-swapping solution<\/a> for EVs last year, following the development of its first fleet of all-electric motorbikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Charging <\/strong>is out, swapping is in:<\/strong> Battery swapping offers a speedy alternative to regular EV charging, with swaps taking as little as five minutes<\/a> depending on vehicle and battery type, bypassing lengthy charging times. The global market of swappable EV batteries was valued at USD 452.9<\/a> mn in 2022 and is projected to grow at a 22.8% compounded annual growth rate through 2030.<\/p>\n

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FINANCE-<\/p>\n

Acwa Power seeks CMA approval for SAR 7.1 bn rights issue:<\/strong> Utility giant Acwa Power<\/a> filed a request to the Capital Market Authority for a SAR 7.1 bn rights issuance to boost the company\u2019s capital, according to a disclosure<\/a> made to Tadawul on Thursday. <\/p>\n

REMEMBER- <\/strong>Acwa Power\u2019s board recommended the rights issuance back in June<\/a> to finance an anticipated USD 2-2.5 bn annual budget for projects as it aims to triple its assets by 2030. No financial advisor has been appointed for the issuance yet.<\/p>\n

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY-<\/p>\n

Tarshid<\/strong> to <\/strong>retrofit <\/strong>KSA\u2019s railway facilities<\/strong>: Saudi Arabia Railways (SAR) tapped the National Energy Services Company (Tarshid) to roll out energy efficiency upgrades at SAR\u2019s headquarters and Riyadh North Station facilities, SPA<\/a> reported last week. The retrofit project aims to slash energy consumption, saving some 7 GWh annually and a total of 105 GWh over its lifecycle.<\/p>\n

The upgrades <\/strong>include rooftop solar panels, high-performance LED lighting with motion detectors, and advanced control systems for air conditioning and ventilation. These measures will improve cooling and lighting performance while reducing environmental impact, with projected savings of 168k barrels of oil and CO2 emission reductions of 60k metric tons. <\/p>\n

REMEMBER-<\/strong> Tarshid<\/a> \u2014 fully owned by the Public Investment Fund and the Kingdom\u2019s first super energy service company (ESCO)<\/a> \u2014 is active in solar installations, and retrofits of street lights, buildings, and facilities. The company has 427 projects, 24k retrofitted buildings, 4.2 mn LED streetlights, and 4.1 mn metric tons annually of avoided carbon emissions.<\/p>\n

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WATER MANAGEMENT- <\/p>\n

ONEE + KfW ink EUR 50 mn loan contract for water climate resilience:<\/strong> Morocco\u2019s National Office of Electricity and Drinking Water (ONEE) and the German Development Bank (KfW) have signed a EUR 50 mn loan agreement to fund drinking water security projects across the Kingdom, Map<\/a> reported last week. The program aims to bolster drinking water systems in Moroccan towns \u2014 including Ghafsai, El Hajeb, Ain Legdah, Bouderbala, Souk Lgour, and M'Haya \u2014 and secure water production against climate risks. <\/p>\n

ONEE and KfW go way back: <\/strong>KfW contributed EUR 200 mn<\/a> to wind farms in Morocco organized by ONEE, including the 270 MW Jbel Lahdid project<\/a> that came online two months ago. In 2022, KfW signed three agreements with ONEE, funneling EUR 52.6 mn<\/a> in water security initiatives. The bank also provided a EUR 55.5 mn loan in 2019<\/a> to ONEE for water projects. <\/p>\n

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-<\/strong><\/p>\n