Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Enel, a global market leader with domain expertise in the production, distribution, and transmission of electricity and natural gas.

In a statement released today, DEWA said this is in adherence with the Smart Dubai initiative, 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 happiest and smartest city in the world.

The MoU, which remains in force for a renewable term of three years, aims to strengthen ties between the parties, to enhance sharing of information and knowledge in the fields of smart grids and network digitalisation.

The agreement was signed by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, and Livio Gallo, Enel’s Head of Global Infrastructure and Networks, during a special ceremony.

DEWA aims to maintain a robust partnership with Enel, to facilitate common strategic objectives outlined by the MoU, including development of effective means of communication to share information, experiences, and research of both parties. The MoU also outlines analysing the results of key performance indicators in the management of smart grids and the digitising of networks, at an operational level.

As per the agreement, DEWA and Enel will allocate experts in their respective fields, to conduct research for the benefit of the clean and renewable energy sector. Both parties will jointly organise seminars, workshops, and meetings, to highlight the most important issues and identify solutions in the energy sector.

DEWA and Enel will focus their attention on the advanced technical developments within global energy companies, in addition to reviewing Enel’s experience in automating the distribution processes, the integration of renewable energy and smart meters. The parties will also review their efforts towards supporting the Smart Cities initiative of Milan Expo 2015. They will also focus their attention on DEWA’s efforts in the field of smart grids.

"We are inspired by the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to build a knowledge-based economy while focusing on the state of the art technologies and the world’s best practices. We prioritise cooperation with public and private local and international organisations, and adhere to the best international standards to develop our initiatives, programmes, and services. We strive to keep pace with the rapid changes in technology in Dubai and the UAE," said Al Tayer.

"We are pleased to sign this MoU with Enel, for a new partnership that will witness growth, development, and leadership in the field of clean and renewable energy. This supports international efforts to ensure environmental sustainability, the UAE Vision 2021 to ensure a sustainable environment, and Dubai Plan 2021 to make Dubai a smart and sustainable city. Through this MoU, we look forward to sharing experiences, information, and studies based on the highest standards of transparency, reliability, and confidentiality, to achieve the happiness of all stakeholders," concluded Al Tayer.

"We are very satisfied with the launch of this new collaborative initiative in tandem with a partner who shares our desire to promote smart technologies and network digitisation which are crucial for the future of the energy sector," said Livio Gallo.

Enel is a market leader with domain expertise in production, distribution and trading of electricity and natural gas. Enel operates in more than 30 countries with 1.9 million kilometres of grid network across four continents. The Enel Group has a net installed capacity of more than 84 GW. With over 61 million users worldwide, Enel has the largest customer base among European competitors.