Ashurst advises on landmark waste-to-energy Independent Power Project in Abu Dhabi

Global law firm Ashurst advised Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) and the Tadweer Group (Tadweer) on the structuring, procurement and financing of the first waste-to-energy (WtE) facility to be developed in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, UAE.

EWEC is a leading company in the integrated coordination of planning, purchasing and supply of water and electricity across the UAE, while Tadweer Group is Abu Dhabi's sustainable waste management champion.

The project will involve the financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the WtE facility that will use advanced moving grate technology to convert municipal solid waste into electricity via a high-efficiency steam turbine generator set. Once constructed, it will be one of the largest WtE facilities in the region. It will have an expected processing capacity of 900,000 tonnes of waste per year, generating enough electricity to power up to 52,500 UAE households, and is expected to reduce CO2 equivalent emissions by up to 1.1 million tonnes per year.

The team was led by partners Luke Robottom and Grant Batten, supported by partners Natasha Kavanagh and Matthew Wood, senior associate Shruthilaya Baker, associate Rohit Tularam and trainees Bogdan Artemov and Brakemi Ebi-Ogbomah. The wider team included partner Kerion Ball, senior associate Alec Peschlow and associate Glenn Morrow.

Commenting, lead partner Luke Robottom said: "We are delighted to have been able to support EWEC and Tadweer on the procurement of this project, the first WtE project to be developed in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and a landmark project reflecting Abu Dhabi's commitment to move towards a sustainable economy."