HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has said that DEWA is supporting sustainability in Dubai through mega projects and initiatives in renewable energy, sustainability, and the environment. One of the key projects DEWA is implementing is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which emphasises how sustainable development tops the priorities of the wise leadership of the UAE: those of HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The leadership realises the importance of renewable energy in achieving a balance between development and maintaining a clean, healthy, and safe environment.
The leadership’s vision
Al Tayer noted that DEWA is inspired in its transformation towards using clean energy sources by the words of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, who once observed that, "Every investment in the development of clean energy sources is at the same time an investment to protect the environment for future generations." Hence, investment in clean energy generates many social, economic, and environmental benefits. This supports the UAE Vision 2021, the Dubai Plan 2021, the National Innovation Strategy, which was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Dubai Innovation Strategy, which was approved by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the most innovative city in the world.
Carbon Abatement Strategy
Dubai strives to enhance the development of renewable energy, sustainability, and the environment, while improving efficiency to make Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world. The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has launched the Carbon Abatement Strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 16% by 2020. This will contribute to making Dubai one of the cities with the lowest carbon footprints worldwide. Thus, DEWA has developed clear goals backed by a special set of programmes for the coming five years.
DEWA considers innovation a critical element in shaping the future. It is a key component of its strategic direction and organisational structure. DEWA has incorporated innovation in its vision, mission, corporate values, and strategic map. DEWA has allocated 40% of its goals to strategic innovation. This includes demand side management efficiency, smart city enabling, sustainable and diversified energy mix, diversified investment profile and finding efficient solutions in R&D.
UAE leads international efforts
Al Tayer noted that what the UAE has achieved is a great source of pride for all citizens and residents. The UAE leads international efforts in clean and renewable energy. To support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, DEWA is working to diversify the energy mix so clean energy will generate 7% of Dubai’s total power output by 2020, 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050. Through this strategy, DEWA is shaping the future of energy and preparing plans and initiatives to keep up with the latest developments in science and technology. Dubai is the only city in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to launch such a promising strategy, with specific targets and deadlines that outline the future of energy up to 2050.
The strategy consists of five main pillars: Infrastructure, Legislation, Funding, Building capacities and skills, and an Environmentally-friendly energy mix.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure pillar includes initiatives such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned capacity to produce 5,000MW by 2030. It will help achieve a reduction of approximately 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, with a total investment of AED 50 billion.
The infrastructure pillar also includes a comprehensive innovation centre. The R&D centre focuses on renewable energy, producing electricity using solar power, and smart grids and water networks. The park also includes infrastructure to produce water using solar energy, indoor and outdoor laboratories, a 400kV substation, educational facilities, and a training centre. The infrastructure pillar also includes the establishment of a new free zone called Dubai Green Zone, dedicated to attracting R&D centres and emerging companies in clean energy.
Legislative structure & financing solutions
The second pillar focuses on the establishment of a legislative structure supporting clean energy policies through the Shams Dubai initiative, to support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy. For funding through the Dubai Green Fund, the third pillar covers financing solutions for investment in R&D on clean energy, and its applications. This pillar includes the establishment of the Dubai Green Fund, which is worth AED 100 billion.
Developing capabilities
The fourth pillar aims to develop the capabilities of employees through global training programmes in clean energy, in cooperation with international organisations and institutes, as well as international companies and R&D centres.
Environmentally-friendly energy mix
The fifth pillar is focused on creating an environmentally-friendly energy mix with solar energy generating 25%, nuclear power 7%, clean coal 7%, and gas 61% by 2030. The mix will gradually increase the employment of clean energy sources to 75% by 2050.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park is the first of its kind in the region due to its capacity. It is the first of several promising projects to use renewable energy to generate electricity. Since the announcement of the solar park, the project has attracted huge interest from the business and energy sectors, reflecting the trust and interest from investors in large projects by Dubai Government. This has been encouraged by favourable current regulations and legislation in Dubai that permit private sector partnerships in power-production projects in the Emirate.
Key features of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park:
From an Operational perspective: The park increases the percentage of renewable and clean energy in the energy mix.
· Innovation: The park enhances a culture of innovation in renewable energy, as well as renewable energy practices in the region.
· Research & Development: The park will contribute to developing an empowering environment. The R&D centre will conduct research in renewable energy, across a number of DEWA’s ongoing projects, in cooperation with international universities and institutions. This will contribute to developing an environment which attracts the best people who are capable of building a competitive knowledge-based economy.
The business sector: The park will create future job opportunities for citizens and residents in Dubai.
The Solar Park projects:
– The 13MW first phase of the solar park became operational in October 2013, at a cost of AED 124 million. This included the establishment of a 13MW photovoltaic plant and a 33kV substation, which has been connected to DEWA’s grid.
– HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum inaugurated the 200MW second phase of the solar park on 28 November 2015. The second phase of the park has been developed based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, and will operational by April 2017. DEWA has set a world record by obtaining the lowest price globally for the second phase, at USD 5.6 cents per kilowatt hour (kW/h) for the cost of photovoltaic energy.
– In June 2016, DEWA announced the selection of the Masdar-led consortium as the best bidder to develop the 800MW third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. DEWA set another world record with the lowest recorded bid at the opening of the envelope being USD 2.99 cents per kW/h for the third phase of the park, which will be operational by 2020.
– DEWA intends to build the largest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project in the world, based on the IPP model. DEWA has released a tender for leading international CSP consultants to submit their proposals for advisory services for the 200MW first project of the CSP plant. It will be operational by April 2021. DEWA will generate 1,000MW using this technology by 2030.
Innovation centre
DEWA is developing an interactive innovation centre, equipped with the latest technologies in clean and renewable energy, to enhance national energy skills, support business competitiveness, and encourage social awareness about renewable and sustainable energy. The centre’s design features five floors, at a height of 90 metres. The project will be complete by 2017.
The R&D centre
The R&D centre was launched in 2014. It is currently under construction and will be completed by 2020. The R&D centre will focus on four key operations:
1. Producing electricity using solar energy: Research, conducted in cooperation with international organisations, will focus on studying photovoltaic panels, and limiting the impact of dust, to maintain their performance. It will also test their long-term capability and develop criteria and specifications that suit the local environment.
2. Integration of Smart Grids: DEWA will conduct research to develop models, and smart grid technologies and systems, in addition to monitoring energy consumption. It will also research the effect that new technologies have on the grids, from renewable energy sources, to storage techniques and electric vehicle infrastructure, and research 3D printing, drone operation and maintenance.
3. Energy Efficiency: Demand Side Management is a key factor to enhance energy efficiency and ensure its environmental and economic sustainability in terms of savings, improving operations, and enhancing the efficiency of solar energy. DEWA cooperates with partners and educational institutions all over the world, to invest in innovation and creativity, and work to develop the next generation’s capabilities of using solar energy through initiatives such as the Solar Decathlon Middle East. This competition will encourage university teams to present their latest innovations to develop solar houses of the future. Dubai will host two rounds of the Solar Decathlon, which will be held for the first time in the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai will host the first decathlon in 2018 and again in 2020 to coincide with World Expo 2020 in Dubai. Competition prizes will make a total of AED 10 million.
4. Water: The R&D centre will develop sustainable solutions to produce water using solar energy, including desalination and purification. DEWA aims to develop technology to produce drinking water, by collecting humidity from the air. DEWA works in cooperation with the UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia) to produce clean water and to help people suffering from water shortage in drought-affected areas around the world.
The R&D centre includes indoor laboratories, to study and test the reliability of systems. The outdoor laboratories will conduct field tests of techniques and tools.
Indoor laboratories include a drone lab, which makes use of 3D-printing technology. The 4 main labs include the Electronics Laboratory, the Software Laboratory, the Mechanical Laboratory, and the Prototype Laboratory. The outdoor area is for field tests.
DEWA will make use of 3D printers in the drone lab to produce models, study technology, and study the ability to integrate these technologies, to enhance smart grids. DEWA will also study the potential of using 3D printing technology to develop spare parts, and improve the efficiency of drones in maintenance and operations. DEWA also conducts research on potential future applications for this technology in cooperation with a number of research centres and universities around the world to support DEWA’s innovation and creativity strategy.
The Electronics Laboratory will conduct electrical design and repair services for drones. It will develop and provide DEWA with innovative products, research, and educational solutions for avionic systems, flight controls, and electric power units.
The Software Laboratory pursues basic research in all aspects of the design, implementation, analysis, and evaluation of software systems. Particular areas of interest include operating systems, mobile computing, cloud computing, virtualisation, distribution systems, and software engineering, Open and Big Data, and other future topics.
Triple-Bottom Line
The Solar Park implements the triple-bottom line (TBL) related to sustainability in DEWA’s strategic map. These include the three key dimensions of sustainability: economic, environmental, and social. DEWA’s long-term priorities include:
– Environmental: The Solar Park will contribute to enhancing the efficiency of using the natural resources and reducing the carbon footprint.
– Social: The Solar Park supports DEWA’s commitment to governance, work ethics, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). It will also provide 1,100 green job opportunities to citizens and residents by 2020.
– Economic: The Solar Park will play a role in improving the efficiency of costs and outcomes. It will attract investments, while supporting economic sustainable growth in Dubai and diversifying the local supply chain.
DEWA is the first organisation in the region to use GRI, to develop sustainability reports focused on the electricity sector. In 2014, DEWA was also among the first 15 organisations in the UAE to issue a report using the GRI-G4 Guidelines, and is one of only 55 international service organisations in the electricity sector that issue reports on sustainability in accordance with these standards.
The IPP model
DEWA adopts the IPP model as a successful global model to follow across the park’s projects. This model creates a competitive work environment, by establishing the means to provide the private sector with the resources required to invest in and develop major projects. The IPP model is efficient when completing infrastructural projects, combining the specifications of the public sector, and developing an environment to facilitate wise governance. This ensures the efficient management of resources, by using private sector investments to reduce the burden on the public sector, while making use of financial resources in other development projects that aid international economic growth. According to the numbers issued by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) about UAE, GGGI noted that raising the annual investment to 2.4% of the GDP, to spread technology and enhance green efficiency in all economic activities, will increase economic growth by about 4-4.5% by 2030. This economic growth will be capable of facilitating 160,000 new jobs, ensuring green growth and resources to limit effects on the environment.
Global partnerships
DEWA has signed several MoUs with international organisations such as RWA, First Solar, and the United States Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), to train DEWA employees in Europe, and the USA, while exchanging skills and learning about international developments in energy, water, and environment. This reflects DEWA’s commitment to exchanging information with employees and partners in international organisations.
DEWA allocated AED55 million of its budget to scholarships in 2015. A total number of 24 students received scholarships in renewable energy between 2014 and 2016. 23 employees were involved in the exchange of information programme 2014-2015. DEWA sent a large number of engineers to Essen in Germany, as a part of the first group in a month-long comprehensive programme. DEWA also sent students to the University of Arizona, to study renewable energy. DEWA cooperates with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and the United Nations (UN) to research renewable and alternative energy, to reduce carbon footprint and limit greenhouse gas emissions.
At DEWA, we do not rest on our laurels. Instead, we continue to do our best, inspired by the words of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum who once observed, "Success is not a destination, but a journey. Each time that you reach a summit on this journey, you must look ahead to the next one." We will continue to build more renewable and clean energy projects, to achieve this vision and enhance sustainability. We will strive to make the Solar Park an international platform for innovation, from which all UAE citizens, and people around the world can benefit, contributing to a brighter, happier, and more sustainable future, for generations to come.