DEWA highlights the role of future technologies in enhancing sustainability

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is participating as the Strategic Sustainability Partner of the Arab Media Summit 2025, organised by the Dubai Press Club under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the directives of His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council. The three-day summit, which began on 26 May, is taking place  at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It brings together a wide range of media professionals, writers, thought leaders, influencers, content creators, editors-in-chief and heads of media organisations from the region and around the world. During its participation, DEWA is showcasing its pioneering projects and initiatives in sustainability, clean and renewable energy and innovation.

On the second day of the summit, a number of DEWA employees participated in a discussion panel titled ‘Using Future Technologies to Enhance Sustainability’. They highlighted the role of future technologies in supporting national goals for sustainability and net zero. Participants included Dr Ali Alsuwaidi, Chief Innovation Officer; Ghanim Alqassim, Senior Manager – Solar Energy; and Khalid Binkalban, Manager of Digital Products Management.

Dr Alsuwaidi highlighted the pivotal role of innovation in DEWA’s daily plans and operations, which has advanced its efforts in digital transformation and sustainability. He noted that DEWA became the first utility globally to adopt ChatGPT technology to enhance its internal operations, reduce paper usage, and elevate services quality. He also highlighted services provided by DEWA, such as such as the High Water Usage Alert service and the use of smart meters which help customers monitor consumption patterns and detect leaks or excessive loads early, thereby supporting resource conservation.

Alqassim elaborated on the role of future technologies in improving the efficiency of solar energy projects at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world operating under the independent power producer (IPP) model. He explained that DEWA uses advanced technologies such as solar-tracking systems, robotic cleaning for solar panels and predictive maintenance systems to increase efficiency and reduce operational costs. Alqassim added that the solar park planned production capacity will reach 7,260MW by 2030, thereby increasing the share of clean energy to 34%. This will contribute to a reduction in total carbon dioxide emissions by around eight million tonnes annually.

Binkalban shared valuable insights into DEWA’s investments in artificial intelligence (AI) and predictive analytics to enhance operational efficiency and improve customer experience. He noted that DEWA employs smart systems to detect leaks, uses interactive dashboards for energy and water consumption, and adopts proactive customer engagement tactics. He also referred to DEWA’s internal initiatives to foster a knowledge community specialising in AI and to prepare Emiratis capable of leading future digital transformations.

DEWA’s stand at the Arab Media Summit 2025 features a model of Al-Shera’a building, the corporation’s new headquarters in Al Jaddaf, which will be the tallest and largest net-positive energy government building in the world. Al-Shera’a is designed to achieve platinum certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and silver certification in the WELL Building Standard. The building will leverage advanced technologies including the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data analytics and AI, alongside modern renewable energy solutions that ensure outstanding efficiency.