Good morning, wonderful people. We’ve got a packed issue for you today — Masdar announced what is expected to be one of the world’s largest solar and battery projects, fresh M&A activity courtesy of Adia and AIM, and Gems will soon open up Dubai’s most expensive school.

The Mohamed bin Zayed satellite (MBZ-SAT) took off last night from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, aboard a Falcon 9 Rocket, Wam reports. Fully developed by Emirati engineers, the satellite is the most advanced in the region, offering high-resolution imaging with a detail area smaller than one square meter. Its productivity is 10 times greater than previous models, with data sharing speeds four times faster.

WEATHER- We’re in for another cloudy day: The National Center of Meteorology forecasts (pdf) today’s weather to be partly cloudy in eastern and northern areas, with a chance of light rainfall and light-blowing winds. Temperatures today will hit 25°C in Dubai, with an overnight low of 16°C, and 23°C in Abu Dhabi, before cooling to an overnight low of 18°C.

WATCH THIS SPACE-

#1- Rents in Sharjah are expected to remain high over the next two years, having already risen between 5-10%, Khaleej Times reports, citing Chairman of the Representative Committee of the Real Estate Sector Business Group at the Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Saeed Ghanem Al Suwaidi. The emirate’s rising population and the allowance of foreign freehold ownership underscored the projected rise in rent rates.

REMEMBER- Sharjah could roll out its rental index during the Acres real estate exhibition between 22 and 25 January, aiming to increase transparency, boost investor confidence, and reduce disputes between tenants and landlords. The emirate also issued a new law for real estate rentals in September, capping rent hikes, imposing stricter eviction rules, and requiring faster ratification of leasing contracts.

#2- The UAE is launching a new international energy investment company dubbed EXERGY in a bid to address growing global energy demand amid megatrends like AI computing, Zawya reports, citing remarks made by the Industry and Advanced Technology Minister Sultan bin Ahmed Al Jaber on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week. The investment vehicle will adopt a diversified energy approach, investing across gas, chemicals, low-carbon fuels, and energy infrastructure.

IN CONTEXT- Global power demand was projected to grow to over 15k GW by 2035 from 9k GW currently, Al Jaber said. This figure is now expected to reach 35k GW by 2050 — up 250% — driven by rising AI applications like ChatGPT, which consume ten times the energy of a single Google search, he explained.

#3- ADQ moves in on takeover of Turkey’s Odeabank: Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ is seeking approval from the Turkish Competition Authority to acquire 96% of Odeabank, Bank Audi ’s subsidiary in Turkey, Asharq Business reports.

REMEMBER- ADQ inked a definitive agreement for the transaction in October with a Bank Audi-led consortium — which includes the International Finance Corporation (IFC), IFC FIG Investment Company Sàrl, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

#4- Masdar eyes more US acquisitions: Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy giant Masdar is set to ramp up its US operations with a target of 25 GW of renewable capacity in the next five years, Bloomberg reports citing Philip Haddad, president and CEO of Masdar Americas. The company aims for 100 GW of global renewable energy projects by 2030. Masdar plans to accelerate its US-based growth through acquisitions and pipeline project investments, including areas outside its recent acquisition of Terra-Gen’s current markets.

REMEMBER- Last year, Masdar signed an agreement to acquire a 50% stake in Terra-Gen Power Holdings, one of the largest independent renewable energy producers in the US. Terra-Gen, which has 4 GW of installed capacity — 70% of which is in California — is also developing an additional 12 GW across three states.

The company is also eyeing expansion into Latin America, with Haddad identifying Brazilian wind and solar projects as key acquisition targets.

#5- The Energy Ministry has plenty in its pipeline to boost energy efficiency: The Energy and Infrastructure Ministry is considering issuing green and sustainability certificates for government and commercial buildings, with a study underway to enhance energy and water efficiency, the ministry’s Under-Secretary for Energy and Petroleum Affairs Sharif Al Olama told Wam. The ministry is also preparing a tender to improve efficiency across over 400 government buildings and partnering with Aldar Properties, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and other specialized energy solution companies for a new pilot project focusing on energy efficiency improvements.

DATA POINTS-

Al Nowais’ Amea Power has invested about USD 2.5 bn so far in Africa across 20 countries, USD 2 bn of which being in Egypt alone, Chairman Hussain Al Nowais told CNBC Arabia (watch, runtime 5:39).

REMEMBER- Amea has big plans for Egypt which include setting up a USD 600 mn, 5 GW wind power project in the Gulf of Suez, set to be completed by 1Q 2026. It is also currently working on a 500 MW wind farm in Ras Ghareb, which is slated for completion by mid-2025, as well as a 1 GW solar power plant with a 600 MWh battery storage system in Benban, expected to be Africa’s largest.

What’s next? The energy firm plans to expand its investments in Asia, with two agreements recently inked for projects in Uzbekistan, Al Nowais said. In addition, it has plans to go public during the next two to three years, he added.

PSAs-

#1- Dubai launches One Mn Prompters initiative: The Dubai Center for Artificial Intelligence opened registration for the One Mn Prompters initiative, according to the Dubai Media Office. The program aims to train 1 mn people in AI and prompt engineering over the next three years.

#2- Dubai introduces Owners Committees: Dubai property owners residing in jointly-owned properties can now sign up for Owners Committees, a new initiative by the RERA to help manage residential communities, Wam reports. Committees will review budgets, prioritize maintenance, and give feedback on service plans.

How to sign up: Register via the Dubai Land Department website or Dubai REST app by 31 January. Requirements include residency, a valid UAE ID, a good conduct certificate, and cleared service fees. Priority goes to the first nine registrants, with results announced in February.

HAPPENING TODAY-

The Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW) kicked off on Sunday and runs through to 18 January at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The event features 11 events gathering policymakers, industry leaders, and youth to discuss global sustainability solutions and foster collaborations.

Among the biggest events of the week:

  • 14-16 January (Tuesday-Thursday): World Future Energy Summit and Youth 4 Sustainability (Y4S) Forum and Hub.
  • 15 January (Wednesday): Women in Sustainability, Environment, and Renewable Energy (WiSER) Forum.
  • 16 January (Thursday): Green Hydrogen Summit and Zayed Sustainability Prize Forum & Investor Connect.

SteelFab is running until 16 January at the Expo Center in Sharjah. The event features global brands and exhibitors from 33 countries, focusing on steel fabrication technologies, including manufacturers from the UK, Germany, the US, China, and India.

It’s day three of the Dubai International Project Management Forum, which is running until Thursday at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai. The event features contributions from experts in project management from various countries, with a focus on innovative approaches to project operations, risk management, and AI applications.

It’s the second day of the Light + Intelligent BuildingMiddleEast exhibition at the Dubai World Trade Center. The three-day lighting and building technology expo brings together industry experts and government bodies, with attendees from over 90 countries. It features the Thinklight Conference, the Smart Building Summit, the InSpotLight, and the Light Middle East Awards, among other events.

THE BIG STORY ABROAD-

As we inch closer to Trump once again taking office, US politics are dominating the international front pages.

Trump’s pick to run the Pentagon faces the Senate: Pete Hegseth — President-elect Donald Trump’s Secretary of Defense nominee — faced the Senate yesterday in a confirmation hearing that saw his lack of experience and controversial comments brought to light. Despite being grilled over his past actions, Hegseth appears to near Senate approval. (Reuters | CNBC | AP | FT)

The Los Angeles wildfires continued to make headlines, with strong winds expected to carry fire-sparking embers over the area, which has been enduring massive destructive fires over the past week. (AP | Reuters)

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Nvidia RTX AI GameCraft will take place on 23 January at Emirates Towers Boulevard in Dubai. Hosted by the Dubai Future Foundation in collaboration with Nvidia GeForce Middle East, the event will gather game developers, students, and industry professionals to create innovative games using Nvidia’s RTX AI technology. Some 15 developers will make it to the finals to compete for the top three spots.

The Global Government Cloud Forum will take place on 21 January in the Museum of the Future in Dubai. The forum will see participation from government representatives, private sector organizations, think tanks, and international organizations, including the World Bank’s Cloud Computing Working Group. It includes keynotes, panel discussions, and workshops to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange pertaining to cloud-enabled public administration.

The International Conference on Pharma and Medicine will take place between 21-23 January at the Sharjah Research, Technology, and Innovation Park. The event offers a platform for potential collaboration in the pharma manufacturing and healthcare sectors.

The Sharjah Real Estate Exhibition (Acres) will take place between 22-25 January at the Expo Center in Sharjah. The event features networking and business prospects in the property sector, face-to-face discussions with developers and industry experts, and exploration of the latest trends in real estate.

BreakBulk Middle East will take place between 10-11 February at the Dubai World Trade Center. The event will gather over 7.5k professionals from the manufacturing, EPCs, project ownership, and transport sectors, providing ample networking prospects and driving potential customer leads.

The World Local Production Forum will take place between 7-9 April at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center. The World Health Organization event will bring together global leaders to discuss sustainable local production and strategies to enhance access to quality health products.

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

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