DUBAI, 24th April, 2023 (WAM) — Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), received Eng. Yousif Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity (EtihadWE).
This was one of several mutual visits to build closer ties between government organisations in the UAE. The meeting aimed to enhance cooperation between the two sides, including strategies for integrating clean and renewable energy sources and the use of modern technologies to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of electricity and water networks in the UAE.
At the start of the meeting, Al Tayer welcomed Al Ali, emphasising the importance of continuous cooperation and integration between the two sides in the energy and water sectors, as well as efficiency improvement in line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to enhance the UAE’s global leadership in all fields.
Al Tayer appreciated the continuous cooperation between DEWA and EtihadWE, noting the importance of collaboration and coordination among all entities in the electricity and water sectors in the UAE to achieve the national goals of energy security, sustainability, and efficiency.
Al Tayer discussed DEWA’s energy programmes, plans, and projects that aim to strengthen its global competitive position, especially in clean and renewable energy, sustainability, and green economy. He highlighted the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, which aim to provide 100 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.
He also discussed details of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, with total investments of up to AED50 billion and a planned capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030. When completed, the solar park will reduce over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, supporting Dubai’s goals to promote sustainable development and a green economy.
Al Tayer explained that in terms of benchmarking, DEWA achieved very competitive results globally, surpassing prominent European and American utilities in efficiency and reliability. It has been able to raise the efficiency of energy production, using the latest disruptive technologies. In 2022, losses from electricity transmission and distribution networks were reduced to 2.2 percent, compared to 6-7 percent in Europe and the USA. Water network losses were also reduced to 4.5 percent, compared to around 15 percent in North America.
DEWA has achieved a new world record in electricity Customer Minutes Lost (CML) per year. Dubai recorded 1.19 minutes per customer, compared to around 15 minutes recorded by leading utility companies in the European Union.
During the meeting, Eng. Yousif Ahmed Al Ali, CEO of Etihad Water and Electricity, discussed the company's pivotal role in ensuring water security and developing the infrastructure of the electricity sector.
As one of the largest service institutions in the UAE, the company provides water and electricity to nearly 1.5 million consumers across five emirates. The company is guided by insightful leadership that prioritises the sustainability of these vital sectors and ways to manage them.
Eng. Yousif discussed the company's most significant strategic projects, including the new desalination plant in Umm Al Quwain with a production capacity of 150 million gallons per day, the recently launched strategic storage and distribution centre, and the company's use of modern technologies and latest innovations in establishing its tanks.
At the end of the visit, Eng. Yousif Ahmed Al Ali expressed his pleasure at meeting Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, his pride in the partnership between EtihadWE and DEWA, and his aspirations to explore new horizons for partnership in the future.