Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA)| DEWA signs 2 MoUs with Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment to enhance cooperation and support strategic relations

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment to improve their strategic partnership, exchange knowledge and skills, work closely together, and effectively coordinate with each other. This supports the organisational objectives of both organisations and will help implement comprehensive housing projects; including residential and infrastructure work. The MoU will also improve cooperation and integration between Dubai Government organisations and supports the Smart Dubai initiative to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world.

The two sides also signed another MoU to install photovoltaic solar panels on the roofs of 10 houses built by the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment. This is part of the Shams Dubai initiative launched by DEWA to encourage building owners to install photovoltaic panels on rooftops to produce electricity from solar power and connect the systems to DEWA’s grid.

DEWA seeks to achieve sustainability in the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment’s projects by implementing clean-energy initiatives and programmes, design buildings that depend on solar power, promote energy efficiency, and rationalising energy and water use. This contributes to achieving the vision of the wise leadership for Dubai to be a global hub for clean energy and green economy, and to be the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050.

“At DEWA, we work according to the vision of our wise leadership, which is a road map that guides our work, initiatives and projects to enhance the competitiveness of the UAE and Dubai. This contributes positively and effectively to achieving the Smart Dubai initiative, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world, and the Dubai Plan 2021 to establish Dubai as a sustainable city, whose environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

"We are committed to strengthening our strategic partnership and collaboration with the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment. This is part of our efforts to achieve integration among Dubai Government organisations for the public good, especially that implementing the comprehensive housing projects within the Establishment’s projects is primarily intended to facilitate moving to and living in the new houses. DEWA provides the water and electricity infrastructure for these comprehensive projects according to the highest standards of quality, reliability, and availability in order to contribute to the happiness of Emirati citizens,” added Al Tayer.

"In 2014, we launched Shams Dubai as one of three smart initiatives to increase reliance on solar power by installing photovoltaic panels on rooftops and connecting them to DEWA’s grid. This consolidates a culture of sustainability among customers in Dubai, encourages them to adopt sustainable lifestyles, and transform them from energy users to clean-energy producers. This supports a sustainable future for generations to come, and supports our relentless efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 7% of Dubai's total power output from clean sources by 2020, 25% by 2030, and 75% by 2050,” noted Al Tayer.

"By being part of Shams Dubai, customers achieve financial savings through low electricity bills, as well as increasing the value of their properties. They also contribute to achieving the sustainable development of Dubai and the UAE. So far, we have connected 1,132 solar systems to DEWA’s grid at a total capacity of 49.1MW. We have other requests with a capacity of 301MW. Dubai aims to install photovoltaic panels on all the Emirate’s buildings by 2030,” concluded Al Tayer.

"The MoU supports the efforts to strengthen partnerships among all government organisations and sectors. The initiative will enable home and building owners to install photovoltaic solar panels on rooftops to produce electricity from solar power and connect the solar systems to DEWA’s grid. It encourages citizens to shift towards sustainable homes and implement renewable and clean energy solutions as well as increase awareness about ways to rationalise water use. This MoU is in line with the directives of the wise leadership to support the shift towards renewable and clean energy. The UAE has established its prominent position in this field, and occupies a leading global position in solar energy production,” said Sami Abdullah Gargash, Executive Director of the Mohammed bin Rashid Housing Establishment.

Gargash commended DEWA’s role in supporting sustainability and ensuring security of electricity and water supply. It works according to the Dubai Government strategy and the objectives to diversify energy sources and achieving energy efficiency.