Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | Diverse visitors from around the world participate in WETEX 2024 seminars and panel discussions

Day Two of the 26th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) featured a series of seminars, presentations and panel discussions. Attracting wide participation and engagement, the sessions highlighted the latest developments in the sustainability, water, energy and technology sectors.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised WETEX under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the patronage of HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, from 1 to 3 October 2024 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The panel on ‘Urban Development and Creating Sustainable, Liveable and Resilient Cities’ discussed the need to design of buildings that are efficient, resilient and environmentally sustainable. Dr Waleed Alnuaimi, CEO of Etihad Energy Services; Anas Mustafa, Senior Vice President of Technical Design – MEP at DAMAC Properties; Maher Al Kaabi, Adviser to Group Chairman and Independent Board Member of Al Serkal Group; Roberto Colucci, Director of Zeekr UAE, part of the AW Rostamani Group; and Samiullah Khan, Chief Strategy Officer for Sustainability at Fakhruddin Holding took part in the discussion that was moderated by Hind Mustafa, a journalist from the MBC Group. The panellists also touched on how the property development industry can adapt by using technology such as smart building management systems, solar panels, sustainable building materials and more.

As part of the Renewables and Sustainability Seminars, a panel discussion titled ‘Reimagining Urban Energy: Integrating Efficiency to Achieve Net-Zero Cities’ was held. The session discussed the latest approaches for achieving efficiency and innovation in designing future cities, the role of corporate collaboration in meeting sustainability goals, and the development of smart city models that support the reduction of carbon emissions to achieve net zero.

The ‘Decarbonising Desalination’ presentation highlighted that solar becomes a more effective power source for reverse-osmosis desalination as the costs of solar generation technologies fall, with the challenge being how to reach 100% decarbonisation. Additionally, RO stations can be placed next to the demand centres, which also reduces energy demand and the cost to pump the water to consumers.

The ‘First Aid Awareness’ session by DCAS focused on first aid and emphasised the importance of being prepared for all scenarios by having a well-stocked first-aid kit, detailing its essential contents. The presenter also discussed the necessary precautions to be taken when assisting someone in need of medical attention, as well as the best practices for handling emergency situations and the appropriate emergency contact numbers to call.

The ‘Abu Dhabi Demand Side Management (DSM) Strategy 2030 and DSM Regulations’ session highlighted efforts to increase energy and water efficiency through initiatives such as energy-efficient appliances, the retrofitting of old buildings and agricultural water efficiency programmes, as well as the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s efforts to develop behavioural change programmes and regulations to support these initiatives.

Key players in the local and global electric vehicle (EV) markets gathered during an inclusive Leadership Roundtable session to discuss the challenges of e-mobility and ways to address them. They agreed on the need to correct many misconceptions around electric mobility through more comprehensive awareness campaigns. The discussion focused on topics such as the total cost of ownership (TCO), compared with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, EV charging infrastructure and the need for collaboration as a key to develop integrated infrastructure that encourages a wider adoption of EVs. They also touched on the importance of developing policies and regulations in collaboration between public and private organisations, real estate developers and other stakeholders to promote the adoption of EVs and green mobility.

The session titled ‘Innovations and Challenges in Water Management’ discussed the role of modern technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) in the digital transformation of the water sector, as well as the importance of accurate data in achieving sustainability. The session also highlighted desalination as a key solution despite the challenges posed by the cost. Participants pointed out the role of technology in promoting cost and energy efficiency, the significance of the circular economy in managing water use and the need to raise awareness and implement supportive regulations to expand the use of treated water in irrigation and cooling.

The session on ‘Financing the Future: Pioneering Sustainable Finance in MENA’ highlighted the importance of structured investment in accordance with environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, and its role in achieving attractive financial returns, while emphasising the positive impact of investment on the environment and society. It also addressed the key challenges faced by companies in the region in adopting sustainable finance, the importance of finding innovative solutions to keep pace with environmental and economic developments, and the role of regulatory bodies in the region in establishing a framework that supports sustainable finance.

The ‘Digitalisation Accelerating Energy Transition’ session discussed the role of digitisation in accelerating the energy transition by providing innovative solutions to improve network efficiencies, support sustainability and address the challenges in this field. Additionally, it highlighted the importance of integrating traditional and new digital systems to achieve smarter and more sustainable energy networks, supporting the achievement of clean energy goals and effectively reducing the carbon footprint.

The panel discussion on the ‘Latest Developments in Water Solutions: Innovations, Sustainability, Technologies’ shared the latest advancements in water technology, including reverse-osmosis desalination and filtration technologies, and emphasised the critical importance of collaboration between governments to achieve global water sustainability.

The presentation on ‘Composite Piping: The Future of Hydrogen and Clean Energy Transport’ highlighted the challenges and solutions for transporting hydrogen efficiently. It explained how transporting hydrogen presents unique challenges due to its lower energy density compared to natural gas, requiring a greater volume for the same energy output. It also discussed the challenges in repurposing existing natural gas pipelines and the susceptibility of steel to hydrogen embrittlement. As a more effective solution, the presentation suggested using composite materials like Glass Reinforced Epoxy (GRE), which offer superior reliability, lower permeability and adhere to strict industry standards, making them suitable for hydrogen pipelines.