Tabreed Marks 25 Years of Contributing to Carbon Emissions Reduction
Tabreed has marked its Silver Jubilee as a leading district cooling company and a key enabler of progress for communities in the UAE and the wider region.
Khaled Al Qubaisi Chairman of Tabreed, said: “To say I am proud to chair the board of this extraordinary company is a huge understatement.
"As we look back on our history, celebrate our achievements, consider our present and look forward to our future, it’s obvious that Tabreed is a resilient, progressive company that brings enormous benefits to its people, its stakeholders and its investors. And, as the saying goes, the best is yet to come.”
Khalid Al Marzooqi, CEO of Tabreed said: “Much of what we do at Tabreed is literally unseen – our vast, complex networks being buried deep underground. But there’s no denying that everyone feels the effect and enjoys the results of our operations.
"When you walk into The Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa, Louvre Abu Dhabi or any of our other iconic landmark developments in the UAE and beyond, and that welcome blast of cold air hits you in the face on a hot and humid summer's day, that’s thanks to everyone at Tabreed.
“We never stand still, never take anything for granted and never stop innovating. And we’re in the finest possible form as we head into our next 25 years with the continued, invaluable support of our majority shareholders, Mubadala and ENGIE.”
Tabreed’s performance continues to set benchmarks for the district cooling sector, the industry known for being up to 50% more energy efficient compared to traditional cooling methods.
Total connected capacity now exceeds 1.3 million RT and it is estimated that, up to the end of 2022, the company’s operations saved 19.2 billion kilowatt hours (enough to power approximately 1.1 million homes in the GCC annually) and prevented 7.6 million metric tonnes of carbon emissions (equivalent to removing more than 1.6 million cars from the streets).
Tabreed continues to invest heavily in R&D, conducting studies with multiple technologies, integrating renewable energy sources and harnessing 25 years of data in its Artificial Intelligence control systems.
Tabreed has also built a geothermal plant developed in partnership with ADNOC and Masdar City, which commenced operations in 2023.
Tabreed’s strategic partnerships have helped the company to remain competitive and supported international growth. In 2006, partnerships with governments and key local companies were instrumental in establishing Tabreed Oman and Saudi Tabreed.
Tabreed’s recent expansion into India, which is expected to be the world’s largest cooling market by 2050, was facilitated via partnerships with Tata Realty and the Government of Telangana, supported by partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
The company started with three employees as Gulf Energy Systems in 1995 and became Tabreed, a public shareholding company, in 1998, through the efforts of the UAE Offsets Group (now known as Tawazun Council).
The first district cooling service provider in the Middle East, Tabreed commissioned its first plant in 1999, a 4,000 refrigeration tonne (RT) facility for the first phase of Zayed Military City in Abu Dhabi.
Other early projects included the Al Jimi Shopping Centre in Al Ain and Al Manar Mall in Ras Al Khaimah, the UAE’s first commercial district cooling system.
By 2016, Tabreed had passed the 1,000,000 RT threshold and today it owns and operates 91 district cooling plants in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, India and Egypt.
The company now employs more than 1,100 staff made up from more than 40 different nationalities and the portfolio is growing, with potential for expansion across India and Southeast Asia.
Tabreed operates the world’s largest district cooling network in Downtown Dubai and has become the cooling partner for many landmarks and attractions in the UAE and beyond.
