HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer meets Economist Group CEO to explore strategic collaboration on sustainable development initiatives

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), met with Lara Boro, Group CEO of the Economist Group, headquartered in London, UK, to discuss potential collaborative opportunities between the two organisations. The meeting marks the start of efforts to establish a long-term relationship and explore strategic partnerships that can support Dubai’s ambitious sustainable development goals.

This meeting underscores DEWA’s role as a global leader in clean energy innovation, while paving the way for mutually beneficial collaborations to drive sustainability at a regional and international level.

During the meeting, Al Tayer emphasised DEWA’s commitment to sustainability, led by the UAE’s wise leadership, which aims to position the UAE as a global leader in the transition to a green economy. He shared DEWA’s proactive steps towards achieving the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategy, as well as the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. These strategies underscore Dubai’s vision to secure 100% of its energy production from clean sources by 2050. DEWA is a driving force behind this transformation, leading innovative projects in clean and renewable energy and setting benchmarks for climate action.

Highlighting DEWA’s groundbreaking initiatives, Al Tayer introduced the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the world’s largest single-site solar park. With an anticipated production capacity of over 5,000 MW by 2030, powered by photovoltaic and concentrated solar power technologies, the solar park represents a AED 50 billion investment. This initiative is projected to mitigate carbon emissions by more than 6.5 million tonnes annually.

Al Tayer also discussed DEWA’s new headquarters, Al-Shera’a Building, set to be the tallest, largest, and smartest Zero Energy government building globally. Designed to achieve the highest environmental certifications, including LEED Platinum and WELL Gold, Al-Shera’a will integrate cutting-edge technology such as IoT, Big Data, and AI, along with advanced renewable energy solutions including building-integrated and photovoltaic solar panels. Once complete, the building will have a capacity of 5 MWp, enabling it to meet net zero energy requirements.

Boro expressed her admiration for Dubai’s achievements and DEWA’s leadership in pioneering sustainability projects. Proposed quote: Boro noted that the Economist Group is keen to support DEWA’s vision through strategic media and thought leadership initiatives that align with Dubai’s green economy goals.