Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | Netherland’s Consul General in Dubai briefed on DEWA’s pioneering global projects and initiatives

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), welcomed HE Dr Carel Richter, Consul General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The visit aimed to learn about DEWA’s best practices, projects, experiences and globally pioneering initiatives.

During the meeting, Al Tayer expressed DEWA’s commitment to fostering strong co-operation and strategic partnerships with Dutch companies across public and private sectors, focusing on implementing the best practices and highest standards in energy, water and sustainability.

Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s initiatives aligned with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s commitment to innovation and sustainability, noting its ambitious projects aimed at enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions by increasing the share of clean and renewable energy, in accordance with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. A key project in this endeavour is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park globally based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, which aims for a production capacity of 5,000 megawatts by 2030.

Al Tayer further elaborated on DEWA’s pioneering initiatives to diversify clean energy sources. This includes incorporating various renewable technologies such as solar photovoltaic, concentrated solar power (CSP) and pumped storage at the hydroelectric power plant in Hatta. Additionally, DEWA has launched a Green Hydrogen project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, marking the first pilot of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. This project aims to produce green hydrogen, a critical energy source that supports the transition to a net-zero economy and enhances green mobility while reducing carbon emissions.

Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s adoption of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies and digitalisation, promoting world-class infrastructure with the highest levels of reliability, efficiency, and availability, as well as accelerating investments in disruptive technologies. DEWA has set unprecedented global standards in the energy and water sectors and came in the top position globally in more than 12 KPIs in its areas of work. DEWA has surpassed prominent utilities in Europe and the USA in all global competitiveness indicators. In 2023, DEWA reduced the electricity Customer Minutes Lost (CML) in Dubai to 1.06 minutes, which is the lowest in the world. DEWA has also reduced losses in electricity transmission and distribution networks to 2.0% last year, which is also the lowest in the world. In 2023, water network losses were at 4.6%, which is the lowest in the world.

Dr Richter commended DEWA’s efforts and its pivotal role in promoting sustainable development in Dubai. He expressed gratitude for the opportunity to explore potential collaborations and strengthen bilateral relations between the Netherlands and the UAE.