Dubai, UAE: The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy is finalising preparations for awarding the winners of the 4th Emirates Energy Award (EEA) next September during the Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) in Dubai.

The 4th Emirates Energy Award is held under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, under the theme ‘Inspiring Innovation for Sustainable Energy’. EEA aims to promote Dubai’s role in energy and transform it into a global hub for renewable and clean energy as well as energy technology innovation.

Applications and projects are evaluated by prominent international judges and experts in energy innovation. This aligns with the vision and directions of Dubai, the UAE and the world for a more sustainable future by establishing a resilient energy sector, capable of promoting sustainable economic growth, considering the global challenges in protecting the environment and combating climate change by securing energy supplies.

The Award received 187 applications from 16 countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Iran, Turkey, Australia, Finland, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. Participants include energy innovations and projects that focus on sustainability, conservation, and achieving the highest energy efficiency across all operations; from generation to consumption, clean energy, youth capacity building, and research and development.

“The Emirates Energy Award is in line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the UAE’s global leading position in sustainable energy. It also aligns with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. The Emirates Energy Award aims to promote energy conservation initiatives, identify and share best practices, and showcase the potential of clean energy and energy efficiency. In its fourth round, the Award has attracted specialists working in sustainable energy, and improving educational outcomes about energy,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of the Emirates Energy Award.

While the Emirates Energy Award focuses on innovative solutions for energy efficiency in the Middle East and North Africa, it has attracted international participation for sustainable and impactful solutions in the energy sector from other countries worldwide. It is expected that the awarding ceremony next September will bring together an array of experts and specialists in the energy sector to recognise the winners.

“The Emirates Energy Award contributes to enhancing sustainability in the global energy sector to face global challenges related to climate change and protecting the environment by employing innovation in developing practical solutions and anticipating a sustainable future for energy to enhance its contribution to the development of all sectors,” added Al Tayer.

“The Emirates Energy Award highlights the best innovations in energy efficiency. It also plays a pivotal role in supporting regional scientific research and efforts related to energy. We are confident that the innovations of the fourth round will exceed expectations, given the global trends towards sustainability, easing pressures on natural resources and facing climate challenges, in addition to the firm desire of all stakeholders to contribute to achieving the goals of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Al Tayer.

“In line with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to shift to clean energy sources, the Emirates Energy Award has consolidated its role as an important platform that energy professionals aspire to participate in with their best practices and innovative solutions. We are pleased that the current edition of the Award has received 187 applications from many countries worldwide, beyond the Middle East and North Africa. This indicates the growing role of the Award as an ideal platform for creativity and innovation in energy conservation and increasing the share of clean energy sources around the world,” said HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary-General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

“The Emirates Energy Award reflects Dubai’s keenness and determination to highlight the most important innovations to support the effective transformation in clean energy. We value the ideas and human capabilities that serve the sector’s goals for the good of all humanity. Energy is a key pillar for human civilisation as well as all social and economic activities. With the tremendous technological development and increased welfare, it is necessary to find alternatives to fossil foil and replace it with clean and renewable sources and develop practical solutions to increase energy efficiency and reduce consumption. These are the objectives we are committed to finding radical solutions by providing the opportunity to creative minds in the region and the world to innovate effective tools and systems capable of making a shift in the energy journey,” added Al Muhairbi.

“We believe that connecting these creative minds is the key to all challenges. Through the fourth cycle of the Emirates Energy Award, we strive to present a unique set of innovations and research to leave a legacy in clean, renewable energy and energy technology,” added Al Muhairbi.

The Emirates Energy Award includes 10 categories on key goals including creativity, innovation, energy efficiency, and promoting the use of renewable energy compared to other resources; as well as the economic, social, and environmental impact of energy conservation.

“The Award has consolidated its position as a platform for energy innovation. It promotes the clean energy sector in the Middle East and North Africa by highlighting the best practices and pioneering works in energy efficiency. The Award supports Dubai’s efforts to contribute to the energy transformation in the UAE and the world. We seek to transform Dubai into a leading global hub for energy solutions to present to the world advanced clean energy technologies and tools that increase energy efficiency. This will enhance the security of energy supplies and meet the future needs of electricity and water, while implementing the highest sustainability standards,” said Taher Diab, Secretary-General of the Emirates Energy Award.

“The fourth cycle of the Emirates Energy Award is a new step that adds to the Award’s excellent record of achievements. It will mark the beginning of a new era for innovation to accelerate the adoption of modern and more developed technologies that contribute to building an energy system that supports the development and creates a new sustainable world for the next generations,” added Diab.

“Shortly after the submission period ended by the end of last August, a team of experts and judges began evaluating the applications according to many criteria that considered the factors of creativity, innovation, energy efficiency and the promotion of renewable energy. The broad interest in participating in the Award reflects its excellence and the quality of its evaluation. This indicates the increasing efforts made by all stakeholders and those interested in developing the energy sector and adopting renewable energy sources. The Award seeks to support all regional and global sectors to adopt the best innovative solutions in clean energy, conservation of energy and water, as well as protecting the environment,” said Dr. Eesa Al Bastaki, Chairman of the Technical Committee of Emirates Energy Award.

“Applications for the fourth cycle included projects and programmes in energy efficiency, clean energy, research and development, capacity building, best practices and solutions targeting sustainable energy sources and clean energy. The Award supports the vision of the wise leadership to promote a low-carbon economy and sustainable development. The participants in this cycle are very distinguished, and we will make sure to evaluate them according to the highest standards and in line with the Award’s objectives, and highlighting the best innovations and research that can add to the current energy landscape,” added Al Bastaki.

“The Emirates Energy Award enjoys a prestigious reputation among all relevant entities and individuals concerned with creating a better future for the energy sector in the UAE, the region and the world. This can be seen by the success of the past rounds of the Award which represent an important part of Dubai’s work system in anticipating the future of energy. We work with all teams to achieve wider awareness of the Award’s ambitious objectives, which align with global trends in energy efficiency and finding technical solutions for expanding the use of clean and renewable energy worldwide. The Award’s impact continues to increase, which will make a positive change in using energy as a vehicle for development, and safe and sustainable living in the future,” said Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources at DEWA, and Chairman of Marketing and Events at the Emirates Energy Award.

“Since its launch, the Award has attracted some of the largest academic and research institutions concerned with developing energy technologies in the region and the world. Through our coordination efforts, we have succeeded in attracting more partners to increase the momentum of the Award and make the greatest possible impact on the energy through the various award cycles. Over the years, we seek to transform the Award into a leading global platform for launching innovations and inventions in the energy field to the world and transforming them into pioneering projects. This great impact will be demonstrated through the fourth cycle, which enjoys the support of various stakeholders as well as the presence of prominent global experts and sector leaders,” said Omar Al Qurashi, Chairman of the Planning Committee at Emirates Energy Award.

The Emirates Energy Award aims to raise awareness among individuals, organisations, and society on the importance of sustainable development in the UAE and the region. The Award honours the winners and their organisations to recognise their success in adopting the best energy management and conservation practices. It will also feature the winners in the media and share their work and practices with the rest of the candidates and society.

The Emirates Energy Award will be granted in the Award’s 10 categories: Energy Efficiency - Public Sector, Energy Efficiency - Private Sector, Large Energy Project, Small Energy Project, Distributed Solar Generation (Large Scale ≥ 500kW), Distributed Solar Generation (Small Scale < 500 kW), Education & Capacity Building, Applied Research & Product Development, and Young Energy Professional.