DUBAI - Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is showcasing its vital projects and innovative initiatives through its two stands at the Northern and Southern Complexes of the 23rd Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and the Dubai Solar Show (DSS).

On this occasion, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, Founder and Chairman of WETEX and DSS, said that the exhibition is held in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai, which provides an opportunity to showcase DEWA’s globally leading achievements for millions of visitors. It also provides an ideal platform to enhance collaborations with DEWA and help develop its business in the MENA region.

Among DEWA's projects and initiatives are the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) in 2030. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, recently inaugurated the first stage of the Solar Park’s fifth phase. It increased DEWA’s total capacity from clean energy to 1,310 MW and the clean energy share in Dubai’s energy mix to 10 percent. DEWA’s electricity capacity has reached 13,200 MW of electricity and 490 million gallons of water per day (MIGD).

DEWA is also showcasing a model of the Innovation Centre at the Solar Park, which has consolidated its position as a global platform for promoting the future of sustainable energy. There is also the R&D Centre at the solar park, which supports DEWA’s efforts in anticipating the future and developing proactive, long-term plans that keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and disruptive technologies and provide world-class services that improve the quality of life in Dubai.

Another project is DEWA’s Space-D project that includes the launch of a satellite constellation to support its primary satellite. Emiratis will manufacture these at the Research and Development (R&D) Centre of the solar park. The system features a ground station at the solar park and IoT and AI technologies to support ground communication transmission stations in electricity and water networks. By deploying this infrastructure, DEWA seeks to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its planning and operations and enhance preventive maintenance at its production, transmission, distribution divisions, its smart grids, and electric vehicle charging stations.

The stand also presents a model for the green hydrogen project, implemented between DEWA, Expo 2020 Dubai and Siemens Energy at the outdoor testing facilities of the solar park. It is the first project of its kind in the MENA region to produce hydrogen from solar power.

Among DEWA's pioneering projects in Hatta is the hydroelectric power plant, the first in the Gulf Cooperation Council to generate electricity using stored water in Hatta Dam. The station’s production capacity will reach 250 MW. It will have a storage capacity of 1,500 megawatt-hours. Other projects include Dubai Summit, and Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls. Dubai Summit includes the construction of a 5.4-kilometre cable car to transport tourists to the summit of Um Al Nesoor. At 1,300 metres above sea level, it is the highest natural summit in Dubai. Hatta Sustainable Waterfalls will use the slope of the upper dam to create a natural waterfall. A waterway will be built along the parking area below the dam. The water used in the waterfall will be collected at the end of the stream, recycled, and pumped back to the top of the dam. Moreover, DEWA will showcase Hatta Line and Cable, a strategic flagship project connecting the one-of-a-kind new Hatta Hydroelectric Plant to Dubai’s high voltage transmission grid through a combination of 132kV new and existing underground cables and overhead lines.

DEWA is also showcasing its net-zero energy buildings, which received the Platinum Rating in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Cities certification awarded by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). These include DEWA’s Sustainable Building, the first sustainable government building in the UAE and the largest government building in the world certified by LEED; Al-Shera’a (Arabic for sail) Building, DEWA’s new headquarters, which will be the tallest, largest, and smartest government Zero Energy building in the world; the Innovation Centre; R&D Centre; Smart Grids Station (SGS); Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC ) in Jebel Ali; and the Distribution Power Division Complex in Al Ruwayyah.

DEWA is organising the second Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) to design solar-powered buildings in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, as part of a partnership between DEWA, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE), and the US Department of Energy.

WETEX and DSS witnessed the launch of DEWA Smart Grid Strategy 2014-2035 and DEWA Smart Grid Report 2021. DEWA’s Smart Grid Strategy 2021-2035 includes six main themes: Foundational Capabilities; Grid Automation; Smart Energy Solutions and Green Mobility; Smart Water; Artificial Intelligence; and Innovative Value-Added Services. The Smart Grid Strategy themes comprise 19 smart grid capabilities.

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2021.