Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | MD & CEO of DEWA receives high-level Swiss delegation

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), received a high-level Swiss delegation, headed by HE Benoît Revaz, Minister of State of Energy in Switzerland. The delegation included HE Maya Tissafi, Ambassador of Switzerland to the UAE, a number of officials and representatives of Swiss energy companies, and a number of Swiss diplomats in the UAE.

The meeting which took place at DEWA’s stand at the World Future Energy Summit (WFES) 2019 in Abu Dhabi, was attended by HE Ahmad Buti Al Muhairbi serves as the Secretary-General of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy; Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA; Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources; Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future; and Khawla Al Mehairi, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Government Communications at DEWA.

Al Tayer welcomed the visiting delegation, emphasising the distinguished relations between the UAE and Switzerland that has resulted in constructive cooperation in various fields, particularly the renewable and clean energy sector, noting that DEWA has strategic partnerships with a number of Swiss companies operating in the energy sector.

Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s efforts in achieving the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 announced by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to diversify the energy mix and increase the share of clean energy to 75% by 2050. One of the key projects DEWA is implementing in this framework is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world based on the independent power producer (IPP) model with a total investment of AED 50 billion and a production capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030. Upon completion, the solar park will reduce over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, supporting Dubai’s objectives for sustainable development and a green economy. The solar park includes a Research & Development centre, an Innovation centre, and a solar-testing facility.

The meeting also addressed DEWA’s smart initiatives that support the Smart Dubai initiative to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world. These include the Shams Dubai initiative, which encourage building owners in the Emirate to produce their energy needs using solar photovoltaic panels installed on rooftops and connecting them to DEWA’s grid as well as the Green Charger initiative for electric vehicles. DEWA has installed 200 Green Chargers across Dubai to promote the use of environmentally-friendly electric vehicles. It offers free charging until the end of 2019.

Al Tayer also discussed the Smart Grid, which includes programmes with investments of up to AED 7 billion that will be completed in the short, mid, and long-term until 2035. He also discussed the 250-megawatt pumped-storage, hydroelectric power station in Hatta that will make use of the existing water stored in the Hatta Dam. The station, which is the first of its kind in GCC countries, has a lifespan of 60-80 years. During off-peak hours, turbines that use clean solar energy will pump water from the dam to the upper reservoir, and during peak-load hours, when production cost is high, turbines operated by the speed of the waterfall from the upper reservoir will generate electricity that will be connected to DEWA’s grid. The efficiency of power production will reach 90% with the response to the demand for energy taking place within 90 seconds.

Al Tayer invited Swiss companies to participate in DEWA’s various energy projects. The Swiss delegation thanked Al Tayer for the warm welcome and for highlighting DEWA’s key projects and initiatives. The delegation commended DEWA’s efforts in promoting the renewable energy sector and expressed their interest in participating in DEWA’s projects at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.