Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised a meeting that attracted 100 Swiss companies under the theme ‘Business Innovation’ at the Sustainable Building in Al Quoz. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), attended the event, which discussed investment opportunities in energy projects and cooperation with Swiss companies operating in the UAE.
The event also promoted the Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2016) to be held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of DEWA.
The conference was attended by HE Christian Watts, Consul General of Switzerland in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, and Peter Herradine, President of the Swiss Business Council in Dubai and Northern Emirates, and senior officials of Swiss companies specialising in energy, water, and environment.
“Innovation is at the core of DEWA’s business and strategic operations. This event supports our vision to become a sustainable innovative world–class utility and supports the National Innovation Strategy, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai and the Dubai Innovation Strategy to make Dubai the most innovative city in the world.” said Al Tayer in his keynote speech.
“The bilateral relations between our countries were historically set by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the UAE. These ties were expanded strongly to incorporate many areas such as science and research, culture and health, as well as initiatives in food and agriculture and humanitarian aid. The relationship of our two countries has become stronger, thanks to the leadership 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,” added Al Tayer.
“The ties between the UAE and Switzerland have grown strongly in terms of economy, trade, and investment. This is clearly reflected in the volume of trade between us, which amounted to AED 46.15 billion (USD 12.58 billion) by the end of 2013. Also, the trade volume via the free zones amounted to AED 8.48 billion (USD 2.31 billion) in the same period. Moreover, Switzerland is the sixth highest international trading partner with the UAE, fourth-highest importing nation from the UAE, and seventh highest exporter to the UAE. According to the Swiss Tourism Board in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), the UAE is the second-highest source of tourists coming to Switzerland,” elaborated Al Tayer.
“To achieve the UAE Vision 2021, we want to become one of the best countries in the world by 2021. This in turn, strengthens the UAE’s global competitiveness, especially in renewable energy, and green economy technologies and products. Dubai has a comprehensive vision for a sustainable future, which is pivotal to the success of building a green economy. In line with the Dubai Plan 2021, and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, we aim to become a global role model by supporting Dubai’s economic growth, securing our energy supply, using energy efficiently and meeting our environmental and sustainability goals, to make Dubai a global centre for clean energy and green economy. Through the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, we aim to provide 7% of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2020. This target will increase to 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050,” added Al Tayer.
“The Infrastructure pillar of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 includes initiatives such as the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, which is the largest single-site project to generate electricity from solar energy in the world, with a planned capacity of 5,000MW by 2030, and a total investment of AED 50 billion (USD13.6 billion),” explained Al Tayer.
“Last week, DEWA received 5 bids from international organisations for the third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. DEWA released a request for Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the 800MW third phase of the solar park. The lowest recorded bid at the opening of the envelopes was USD 2.99 cents per kilowatt hour. The next step in the bidding process will review the technical and commercial aspects of the bids to select the best one. The wide participation in this vital sector reflects the trust and interest of international investors to invest in mega energy projects with Dubai Government. DEWA is leading by example in performance, efficiency, productivity, and excellence, in providing electricity and water services at the highest international levels of reliability and availability,” added Al Tayer.
“DEWA established the Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) to boost the model of energy performance contracts by providing financial organisations the opportunity to invest in energy-efficient projects and obtain attractive returns, with the new regulatory framework ensuring that all risks are addressed. Financial institutions can become active partners in the sustainable development of Dubai, with plans to retrofit 30,000 buildings to make them energy-efficient. The present costs for this strategic project are approximately AED30 billion, with returns of AED82 billion and a net present profit of AED52 billion. Through the IPP model, DEWA will establish the first and second phases of the 2,400MW Hassyan clean coal power plant. The plant will be the first-of-its-kind in the region and is fully-compliant with set international standards, adopting the use of ultra-supercritical technology,” elaborated Al Tayer.
“DEWA has also awarded a contract for the turnkey construction of the expansion of M-Station at Jebel Ali. The project is worth AED1.47 billion (USD400 million) and will be completed in 30 April 2018. M-Station is the newest and largest power production and desalination plant in the UAE, with a current total capacity of 2,060MW of electricity and 140 million imperial gallons of water per day. The expansion project includes new power generation units with a capacity of 700MW to be added to the current capacity of the station to eventually produce 2,760MW by 2018,” noted Al Tayer.
“We in Dubai are always interested in discovering developments in international technology to further broaden our horizons and we wish to team up with Swiss partners in renewable energy, which will help these companies to develop their innovative technologies. DEWA cooperates with leading Swiss companies operating in energy, including ABB Group, which is the Platinum Sponsor of Water, Energy Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX). We spare no effort to provide better services to citizens and residents of Dubai by working with the most capable and efficient companies, to ensure a brighter future for all,” concluded Al Tayer.
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