The Sharjah Investment Forum 2023 featured the CEO of BEEAH Group, H.E. Khaled Al Huriemel, for a one-on-one session titled "The Future of Green Economy." Moderated by David Provenzani, Country Director of Yellow Door Energy, the session offered a glimpse into the future of the waste management and sustainability industry and the massive strides being made by them towards achieving the nation’s “Net-Zero” goals.
Al Huriemel began by highlighting the productive year that BEEAH had in 2022, with its highest growth to date and the launch of the BEEAH Group. He also noted the company’s move to a new headquarters and the inauguration of its waste-to-energy plant by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. Al Huriemel also touched upon BEEAH’s waste-to-hydrogen project, which serves as one of the company’s pillars of its business model, along with sustainability and digitization.
Started 15 years ago in Sharjah, BEEAH has since expanded its operations to cover the entire nation, as well as in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Speaking about BEEAH’s plans for 2023, Al Huriemel stated that this is an important year for the company, especially with the announcement of the year of sustainability by the President of the UAE. He mentioned BEEAH’s role as the official waste management partner at COP27 and the company’s focus on helping the private sector and government achieve their sustainability goals. Al Huriemel stated that BEEAH is the largest waste management organisation in the UAE and is focused on geographic expansion and diversification, with a two-year contract in Saudi Arabia and a 15-year contract in Egypt.
The CEO also spoke about BEEAH’s investment in digital technology with a new company called Evo-Tech and the establishment of "Re-Life," an online market for trading recyclable commodities. Al Huriemel also highlighted BEEAH’s plans to build a Tier 3, 9MW data centre powered by renewable energy, as well as several solar plants. In addition, BEEAH is expanding into healthcare and real estate.
When asked about BEEAH’s role in achieving the UAE’s goal of being "Net-Zero" by 2050, Al Huriemel explained that BEEAH is the first waste-to-energy company in the region, with 10 facilities and a capacity of 300,000 tons annually. He noted that 76% of waste is diverted from landfills, the highest in the Middle East, and that the company has established ION Mobility, a sustainable transport solutions company. Al Huriemel also spoke about BEEAH’s joint ventures with Greece, Italy, and the UK to address marine and industrial waste.
The BEEAH CEO concluded that technology is moving at a fast pace and that the company is investing in technology, including the use of robotics and AI for waste sorting, to remain competitive in the market. He also mentioned the use of fire safety as a training tool through a digital twin of the company’s new headquarters.
Overall, the one-on-one session with H.E. Khaled Al Huriemel provided valuable insight into the future of the waste management and sustainability industry and BEEAH Group’s plans for the year 2023 and beyond.