Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) launched a new project, as part of the Shams Dubai initiative, to instal solar carports, at DEWA’s headquarters, and at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment building. This is part of DEWA's efforts to increase reliance on clean energy, and support Dubai's smart transformation, in line with its vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility.

DEWA is currently working on this project, which aims to generate electricity, using photovoltaic (PV) panels, connected to DEWA’s network, in the parking lots at the two sites, with a total of 902 parking spaces. The DEWA parking lot will have a capacity of 1,780 kilowatts (KW), and 220KW in the Ministry building, with a total of approximately 2,000KW in both locations, generating a total of 2,750 MWp, equivalent to reducing about 1,500 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said: "The Solar Carports project, in DEWA’s headquarters and at the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, is part of our efforts to encourage the public to benefit from Shams Dubai. This supports 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 smart and happiest city in the world, and achieve the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to make Dubai a global hub for clean energy and green economy by providing 7% of its total energy from clean energy sources by 2020, 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050. Through the project, we intend to provide comfort and enhance the happiness of our stakeholders, to fulfil our mission, in line with our core values, as well as promote the initiative among all stakeholders, both individuals and institutions, in the public and private sectors. This will happen by providing practical examples of green and sustainable buildings, to spread a culture of sustainability, reduce energy consumption, and dependence on traditional energy sources, and help Dubai’s government organisations achieve the goal set by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) to reduce 20% of the energy consumption in all government buildings, by 2020."

"The reduction of the carbon footprint, in Dubai and the UAE, is a national duty, and we must cooperate to protect the environment, and to preserve our natural resources. This comes in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to continue the efforts of sustainable development, balance economic, social and environmental development through the integration of various organisations, and join efforts to implement sustainable environmental initiatives and programmes in Dubai and the UAE. This supports the UAE Vision 2021, which aims to create a sustainable environment in terms of air quality, pollution, conservation of water resources, increased reliance on clean energy, green development, as well as the Dubai Plan 2021, which aims to make Dubai a smart and sustainable city with clean, healthy and sustainable environmental elements," added Al Tayer.

Al Tayer stressed that DEWA has completed linking its network with 450 residential and commercial buildings, with a total capacity of about 17.7MW, through Shams Dubai. DEWA is also working to increase this number to reach all buildings, in the Emirate, by 2030.

"The Solar Carports and other such projects under Shams Dubai, highlight DEWA’s commitment to provide ease for all stakeholders, and encourage government buildings to use clean energy and transform into sustainable buildings. We aim to spread the experience to a large number of public and private buildings in Dubai, supporting national efforts to reduce carbon footprint and increase the proportion of solar energy in the environment-friendly energy mix in Dubai," said Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development & Excellence at DEWA.

Source: Wam