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HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice-Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), received a delegation from the United States Department of Energy. The delegation, headed by Dr. Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall, Deputy Secretary at the US Department of Energy, including HE Barbara A. Leaf, US Ambassador to the UAE, HE Paul R. Malik, Consul General at the US Consulate in Dubai, and Adam Seminsky, Administrator of the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). 

The meeting was attended by HE Fatima Al Foora Al Shamsi, Assistant Undersecretary for Electricity, Clean Energy and Desalinated Water Affairs at the Ministry of Energy, HE Ahmed Butti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai, Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at DEWA, Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA, Stephane Le Gentil, CEO of Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), and a number of officials from the Supreme Council of Energy and DEWA. 

The visit built closers ties with a review of DEWA’s strategic projects, and discussions on preparations for hosting Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) in 2018 and 2020 in Dubai, the first international college team competition to take place in the Middle East. The competition is organised by the US Department of Energy to design smart solar-powered buildings using sustainable building materials. It targets all universities around the world.

At the beginning of the meeting, Al Tayer welcomed the visiting delegation, emphasising that such meetings support DEWA’s commitment to share best global practices and expertise with its partners in sustainability. He highlighted the strategic projects and programmes, and achievements of both the Supreme Council of Energy and DEWA, which support the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the Dubai Plan 2021 to build a sustainable environment and future, and promote Dubai’s leading position as a global hub for trade, finance, tourism, and sustainability. 

Al Tayer presented some of DEWA’s mega projects including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The Solar Park includes a research and development centre for innovative research in energy and water in Dubai. It conducts studies on industrial and social needs, and leadership in scientific research. It also works as a link between researchers and developers, and comes up with strategies for productive innovative ideas. He also highlighted the Hassyan Clean-Coal Project, the expansion of the M-Station power and desalination plant, which is largest and newest electricity generation and water desalination station in the UAE, the smart grids project, DEWA’s three smart initiatives, which support the Smart Dubai Initiative. 

Also covered were the key projects and strategic initiatives that DEWA is implementing to support the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to diversify the energy mix and reduce energy demand by using best global practices in resource rationalisation and protection. Al Tayer noted that DEWA is working to achieve the directives of the wise leadership and has reached significant milestones in energy efficiency, green buildings, and retrofitting of existing buildings. 

Over 30,000 buildings will be retrofitted by 2030. He also briefed the delegation about DEWA’s energy and water conservation campaigns. The US delegation expressed its interest in participating in DEWA’s projects, especially clean energy projects, exchanging of expertise and technologies, and contributing to Dubai’s sustainable growth. The two sides discussed hosting the first and second Solar Decathlon competition in 2018 and in 2020 in Dubai in conjunction with Expo 2020. 

University teams from around the world will be invited to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, attractive, and focus on protecting the environment. Hosting the Solar Decathlon is also a practical implementation of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to diversify energy sources and increase the percentage of renewable energy in Dubai’s energy mix to 15% by 2030. Dr. Sherwood-Randall noted that her government will provide full support to ensure the success of hosting of this global competition in Dubai, as well as promoting collaboration in energy, research, and innovation. She emphasised that this partnership will foster collaboration among students from different academic disciplines, including engineering and architectural students, and pave the way for development, creativity and innovation in these fields. 

The two sides also discussed preparations for the intended visit this coming October, where a delegation from the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, headed by Al Tayer, will visit the USA to look at the latest practices and experiences in infrastructure projects on solar energy, renewable energy, clean coal, smart grids and carbon emission reductions. The delegation will review events held at the sidelines of the competition, which DEWA will participate in. 

During the visit, the delegation will launch the competition, which will be held for the first time in the Middle East in Dubai 2018 and 2020. At the end of the meeting the two sides exchanged gifts. Al Tayer presented ‘Flashes of Thought’ by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to Dr. Sherwood-Randall, and presented the delegation with copies of the Sustainability Report 2014, which highlights DEWA’s achievements and initiatives.