DEWA’s Shams Dubai initiative to generate long-lasting renewable energy

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has a well-defined strategy, and an ambitious vision, to support the development and establishment of sustainable energy projects in Dubai, under the leadership of Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and is committed to environmental sustainability and the happiness and welfare of its citizens, residents and visitors , to provide an ideal environment for living, working, and visiting. The Dubai Plan 2021 aims to make Dubai a smart, integrated, and connected city that uses its resources sustainably, whose environmental elements are clean, healthy, and sustainable. The Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, launched by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, diversifies Dubai’s energy mix and reduces energy demand in the Emirate by 30% by 2030. DEWA has increased the targets for renewable energy to 7% of Dubai’s total power output by 2020 and 15% by 2030. DEWA is doing this to support the Green Economy for Sustainable Development long-term National initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to build a green economy in the UAE. It also supports the UAE Vision 2021 to make the UAE among the best countries in the world by 2021. DEWA’s vision is to ensure the Emirate’s continuous growth and, at the same time, protect its natural resources and shape the future of energy in the region as a whole, to achieve the sustainable development and promote the welfare of citizens, residents, and visitors, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come. According to Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, DEWA will invest Dh 60 billion in Dubai’s energy and water sector over the next five years to meet increasing demand. This will provide considerable investment opportunities, support the growth of a green economy and create a competitive advantage for the UAE in clean energy and energy-efficiency technologies. DEWA has also allocated over Dh 2.6 billion to support electricity, water and renewable energy infrastructure projects, according to the highest international standards. This will contribute to organising the best World Expo in 2020, in Dubai. DEWA will focus on renewable energy sources to support Dubai Expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and its three sub themes of sustainability, mobility, and opportunity. Solar energy is connected to DEWA’s grid has two forms. The first is DEWA’s solar power plants such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is managed by DEWA, is one of the largest renewable energy projects in the region, with a planned production capacity of 3,000MW by 2030. The second is electricity produced from medium and small solar energy systems. This is done by installing photovoltaic (PV) panels on rooftops of buildings and connected to DEWA’s grid as part of its Shams Dubai initiative. Shams Dubai, DEWA’s rooftop solar energy initiative for buildings DEWA has launched Shams Dubai, as part of its efforts to support the Smart Dubai initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world. Shams Dubai engages society in producing renewable energy and contributing to achieving Dubai Government’s objectives to diversify energy sources. The initiative allows customers to install PV panels on their rooftops to generate electricity form solar power. The electricity is used on-site and the surplus is exported to DEWA’s network. An offset between exported and imported electricity units is conducted and the customer account is settled based on this offset. To regulate electricity produced from PV panels to the power distribution system in Dubai, the Dubai Executive Council issued resolution number 46 for 2014 to put in place a comprehensive framework at a legislative level to connect electricity produced from solar power to the distribution system. The resolution defines DEWA’s responsibility to develop a policy for solar energy electricity production, and the adoption of binding agreement terms and models, and monitoring and supervising producers. – Emirates News Agency, WAM -http://www.wam.ae/en/news/general/1395287988131.html