Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | 2nd DEWA Digital Day discusses digital transformation in utilities, disruptive technologies, and intellectual property in the digital era

2nd DEWA Digital Day, which was organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) at DEWA Campus for Occupational and Academic Development in Al Hudaiba, discussed a number of topics related to the digital transformation. These included digital transformation in utilities, disruptive technologies, and intellectual property in the digital era. A number of international speakers and digital transformation and Artificial Intelligence specialists at DEWA and a large number of staff took part in the event. During the day, DEWA announced the launch of the X-Navigator platform, the first of its kind, which will help users link DEWA’s projects and initiatives with local, federal and global strategies and frameworks.

Speakers during DEWA Digital Day included Zarko Sumic from Gartner who talked about ‘Digital Transformation in Service Utilities’, Dr Kai Hoehmann who talked about ‘Digital Transformation’, Anthony Carlick who talked about ‘Intellectual Property in the Digital Era’. Adel Altamimi, Executive Director of Artificial Intelligence at DEWA, talked about ‘Disruptive Technologies’ and Reem Mustafawi, Senior Specialist at the Innovation & The Future Division at DEWA, talked about ‘Digital Transformation at DEWA’.

In his keynote speech, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, noted that Digital DEWA 2019 is in line with DEWA’s strategy for digital transformation. This supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to transform Dubai Government into a fully digital government and the first paperless government by end of 2021. DEWA has taken major steps toward this goal and achieved the best results among government departments that participated in the first stage of the Dubai Paperless Strategy. DEWA has reduced its paper usage by 60%. By the end of last year, 93% of DEWA’s customers were using its smart services.

“To achieve DEWA’s vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation, we are aiding Dubai’s progress to leading the future. This is being done by reworking the traditional concepts of work mechanisms to suit the rapid changes taking place in the world and strengthening Dubai’s position as an incubator for creativity and a beacon of innovation. We aim to position Dubai at the forefront of cities that not only anticipate the future but also make it. We do this through innovation, which we place at the top of our priorities to achieve the government plans and strategies. These include the National Artificial Intelligence Strategy 2031; the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution; the Dubai 10X Initiative, the Dubai Blockchain Strategy, to make Dubai the first city in the world fully managed by a Blockchain platform by 2020. This will make Dubai Government the first government in the world to conduct all its applicable transactions via Blockchain by 2020; as well as other government initiatives and strategies to employ futuristic technologies to achieve the happiness of its customers and society as a whole. DEWA is committed to protecting intellectual property, which is one of the key drivers of economic growth and technological development. We also promote the importance of protecting these rights. DEWA is the first government organisation in Dubai to implement an inventor remuneration scheme, based on international best practices and in line with the UAE’s laws,” said Al Tayer.

“Through Digital DEWA, the digital arm of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, we are redefining the concept of a utility and disrupt the entire business of public utilities by becoming the world’s first digital utility to use autonomous systems for renewable energy and storage. At the same time, we are expanding our use of Artificial Intelligence and digital services. The initiative has four pillars to deliver a new utility experience for Dubai and the world. The first pillar is launching advanced solar power technologies in Dubai. The second is deploying a renewable energy grid with innovative energy storage technologies. The third pillar is expanding its use of integrated AI solutions to make Dubai the first city to provide AI-based electricity and water services. The fourth pillar is using connected technologies to provide round-the-clock world-class services through the MORO data hub that provides advanced and innovative digital solutions and promotes smart-city applications,” added Al Tayer.

“At DEWA, we are committed to providing a motivating environment that encourages creativity. We believe in the role of innovation in developing sustainable solutions to the challenges and turning them into opportunities and initiatives that contribute to exceeding customers’ expectations and ensuring their happiness. As a result of these efforts, DEWA ranked first in the Happiness Index in the large Dubai Government Entities category for the second consecutive year with a score of 95% on Smart Dubai’s Happiness Index,” noted Al Tayer.

Al Tayer urged DEWA staff to continue their efforts to achieve the digital transformation in DEWA by launching innovative initiatives and services that make people happier and contribute to a better future for generations to come.