His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer holds a press conference about the Green Hydrogen project and DEWA’s latest achievements

His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) held a press conference about the Green Hydrogen project, which will be inaugurated tomorrow at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

Al Tayer said that the project, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to produce green hydrogen using solar energy, reflects the vision of the wise leadership in promoting creativity and innovation, green economy and sustainable development. He noted that DEWA’s approach is based on scientific foundations and pilot projects, including the green hydrogen pilot project, which will build national capabilities and competencies, and will promote the development of green hydrogen projects in the UAE. This will be in line with the model DEWA adopted in the projects of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in which DEWA started its first phase with a pilot project with a capacity of 13 megawatts (MW). The total production capacity of the solar park’s operational phases is currently 1013MW. The projects currently under construction have a total capacity of 1,850MW, with future phases to reach 5,000MW by 2030.

“We have a clear approach for the energy sector in line witht the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. We are using the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain to enhance energy efficiency and increase the happiness of all stakeholders including customers. The share of clean energy capacity in Dubai’s energy mix has increased to around 9%. This exceeds the percentage set in the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to provide 7% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2020,” said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer noted that these efforts have contributed to Dubai surpassing the target of reducing 16% of carbon emissions by 2021, by reducing 22% of carbon emissions in 2019.

Thanks to the directives of the wise leadership, we are continuing to expand the use of clean energy. We currently have promising solar projects at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in addition to the hydroelectric power station in Hatta, as well as other projects under study to use wind energy.”

During the conference, His Excellency Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s key achievements and the latest developments in its pioneering initiatives. DEWA has attracted around AED 40 billion in investments through the Independent Power Producer (IPP) and Independent Water Producer (IWPP) model that strengthens the partnership between the public and private sectors.

Al Tayer said that next July, DEWA will commission the 300MW first stage of the fifth phase of the solar park which will have a capacity of 900 MW using photovoltaic solar panels. In September, DEWA will commission the world’s tallest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) tower at 262.44 meters and a capacity of 100 megawatts, in addition to 200MW from parabolic trough. This is the largest single-site solar investment project of its kind in the world. It combines CSP and photovoltaic solar panels, with a capacity of 950 megawatts, with investments totalling AED 16 billion. This phase is characterized by the largest storage capacity in the world for 15 hours, which allows for energy production round the clock.

Al Tayer said that DEWA started the tunneling operations of the hydroelectric power station in Hatta. The progress in the 250MW project is 22.84%. The project uses the latest and safest drilling technologies to fit Hatta’s geological features while following the highest international environmental standards.

DEWA’s space programme, Space-D, aims to build DEWA’s capabilities and train Emirati professionals to use space technologies to enhance its electricity and water networks, and will take advantage of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. The project features the launch of a main satellite equipped with the latest imaging and satellite communication technologies, which will take place in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai. The satellite cameras will monitor the performance and efficiency of the photovoltaic solar panels at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park using special cameras on the main satellite, which will also help study the impact of weather and climate change on energy infrastructure and supply. This enhances the reliability of electricity and sustainability of resources.

“To keep pace with the continuous growth of Dubai, and as part of our commitment to creating proactive solutions to the challenges of the next 50 years, we continuously work to implement various projects to meet the growing demand for electricity and water in the Emirate. DEWA’s total production capacity is currently 12,900MW of electricity and 490 million gallons of desalinated water per day. As part of its efforts to promote sustainability and energy efficiency, DEWA, through its subsidiary Ittihad ESCO, retrofitted 7,197 buildings, including 4,878 villas in Dubai. It installed photovoltaic solar panels on 5,442 buildings, including 4,878 villas, bringing the total number of buildings that have been retrofitted and solar panels installed on them to 7,763. This is part of the Shams Dubai initiative to install photovoltaic solar panels on rooftops in Dubai.

We are proud that DEWA has received the Global Award highest from the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) for the second time. DEWA continues to maintain its position in the Platinum category, which includes leading companies and institutions that promote excellence. DEWA has also won the EFQM UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Challenge 2021. The award recognises DEWA’s efforts in sustainable development and its support of the UAE’s efforts to achieve the UN SDGs. DEWA’s Jebel Ali Power Generation & Water Production Complex has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the largest single-site natural gas power generation facility in the world with an electricity generation capacity of 9,547 MW, adding to DEWA’s record of global achievements,” concluded Al Tayer.