There is no turning back: the energy transition is an irreversible journey.  The pace may vary by country, but the process is unstoppable. This is evident in a study by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS that compares perceptions across 14 countries on four continents. 

The ‘Climate Goals’ study, promoted by Fondazione MAIRE – ETS and sponsored by MAIRE Group, has been monitoring, in collaboration with the international research company IPSOS, public awareness of the energy transition worldwide since 2023, involving 2,300 individuals.

The study, available here, covers Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE for the Middle East; India, China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkiye for Asia; the US, Chile and Argentina for the Americas; Italy and the UK for Europe; and Algeria in Africa.

This article focuses on the Middle Eastern countries included in the survey.

In the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the energy transition is widely recognised as a cornerstone for economic strategy and considered a priority by 62/67% of respondents.

Survey respondents in Saudi Arabia and the UAE rank their countries ahead of others in the energy transition process (the highest rates after China). 

In Qatar, 55% consider public entities and the government to be key players in driving the energy transition (compared with 34% in Saudi Arabia and 39% in the UAE). However, engaging private companies is seen as more challenging in Qatar (37%) than in Saudi Arabia (where 39% view them as key players) and the UAE (43%). Respondents in Qatar also anticipate greater involvement from citizens (40%) than in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Public engagement is crucial to advancing environmental strategies, with respondents emphasising the need for community support for sustainable initiatives. Respondents also view the transition as an opportunity for job creation. Qatar, in particular, must carefully manage potential job losses in high-emissions sectors to ensure the benefits of the transition are distributed equitably. Saudi Arabia views the energy transition as an opportunity to increase women’s inclusion in the workforce, on a par with India. In the UAE, the energy transition is expected to create jobs in renewable energy, clean technology and sustainable development.

There is a strong emphasis on integrating education and training programmes as critical components in developing a knowledgeable workforce capable of meeting new challenges. Technical expertise in renewable energy and sustainable technologies is crucial to fostering innovation, while soft skills such as problem-solving, adaptability and critical thinking are vital for navigating the energy transition.

Qatar’s strategy

Mohammed Nafid, vice-president of MAIRE’s Sustainable Technology Solutions business unit for the Middle East, notes: “Qatar will continue to leverage its world-leading liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports as a transition pathway while accelerating investment in solar, hydrogen and carbon-capture technologies. Qatar’s energy transition strategy aims to balance maximising near-term hydrocarbon revenues with building a diversified, low-carbon economy by 2030 and beyond.

“Qatar plans to boost LNG production capacity from approximately 77 million tonnes a year (t/y) to more than 140 million t/y by 2030. Natural gas – regarded as a cleaner fossil fuel than coal and oil for power generation – benefits from carbon capture solutions. LNG export revenues will help fund domestic decarbonisation projects and sovereign wealth investments.

“Qatar’s National Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy targets at least 20% of power generation from solar and wind by 2030. Major projects include a 700MW solar photovoltaic plant near Al-Khor and pilot wind farms along the northern coast.

“Qatar is also exploring blue hydrogen production, combining reforming technologies with carbon capture. Plans include a potential hydrogen export terminal to position Qatar as a major blue hydrogen supplier to Asia and Europe, alongside CCUS at petrochemical sites.”

UAE vision

Arthur Vellozo, vice-president of MAIRE’s Integrated Engineering and Construction Solutions business unit for the region, highlights: “The UAE’s revised Energy Strategy 2050[1] will triple the contribution of renewable energy and invest between AED150bn and AED200bn by 2030 to meet the country’s growing energy demand, driven by a rapidly expanding economy. Hydrogen is emerging as one of the most important types of clean energy.

“The UAE is strengthening its position through the development of supply chains and the establishment of hydrogen oases, alongside a dedicated national research and development centre for hydrogen technologies. Hydrogen is a cornerstone of the UAE’s decarbonisation plan. The strategy aims to position the UAE as a major global producer of low-emission hydrogen (and its derivatives) by 2031, supporting low-carbon industries and reducing emissions in hard-to-abate sectors.

“In recent years, we have seen several large-scale industrial projects implemented, including low-carbon hydrogen, low-carbon ammonia and carbon separation plants within gas processing projects.”

Saudi momentum

Daniele Quintarelli, vice-president of MAIRE’s Integrated Engineering and Construction Solutions business unit for Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, underlines: “Saudi Arabia has launched numerous renewable energy projects since the inception of its National Renewable Energy Programme in 2017 and is rapidly advancing its renewables sector. The kingdom aims to source 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, supported by significant investment in solar, wind and hydrogen. Plans include expanding renewable capacity to 130GW (including 58.7GW of solar and 40GW of wind).”

Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan emphasises diversifying the economy and reducing dependence on oil revenues. The National Renewable Energy Programme aims to increase the share of renewable energy in the country’s energy mix[2].   

As of now, the country has tendered 64 renewable energy projects totalling 57.5GW, which include 40 solar, nine wind and 15 energy storage projects. Approximately 38.7GW of these projects have already been awarded, representing investments worth around $24.8bn”.

Systemic change

Thousands of new jobs and skills are needed to support a low-carbon, circular economy. The transition goes beyond producing energy with low or zero emissions: it involves transforming industrial processes, products, business models, distribution and consumption patterns.

MAIRE and its operating company, NEXTCHEM, are deeply committed to this global transition. NEXTCHEM is pioneering advanced solutions for the circular economy and for the production of low-carbon hydrogen, ammonia, methanol and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) – essential inputs for sustainable agriculture, the chemicals industry, shipping and aviation.

Leveraging a diversified technology portfolio, MAIRE—through NEXTCHEM—is charting a scalable, commercially viable roadmap for global industrial decarbonisation.

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