Dubai encourages its citizens and residents to get involved and contribute towards generating clean energy to enhance Dubai’s position regionally and internationally, transforming the Emirate into a role model for the preservation of natural resources by integrating ground-breaking strategies and initiatives. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) encourages customers to produce clean energy, following the resolution number 46 of 2014 issued by the Dubai Executive Council to regulate electricity produced from photovoltaic panels to the power distribution system in Dubai. The resolution formed a comprehensive legislative framework to connect electricity produced from solar power to the distribution system. The resolution supports the Smart Dubai initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world.
This will engage the community in the production of electricity from solar energy, diversify energy sources by increasing renewable energy targets, preserve the environment and lower the country’s carbon footprint, while also encouraging the development of a green economy to achieve sustainable development. Shams Dubai allows customers to install photovoltaic panels on their rooftops to generate electricity form solar power. The electricity is used onsite and the surplus is exported to DEWA’s network.
DEWA’s work on clean and renewable energy
DEWA has a well-defined strategy and an ambitious vision, to support the development and establishment of sustainable energy projects in Dubai. DEWA has increased the targets for renewable energy to 7% of Dubai’s total power output by 2020 and 15% by 2030, to support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a global centre of clean energy and green economy. It aims to increase Dubai’s total power output from clean energy sources to 75% by 2050. The initiative also supports the long-term national Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to build a green economy in the UAE, in addition to the UAE Vision 2021 to make the UAE among the best countries in the world by 2021. DEWA’s vision is to ensure the Emirate’s continuous growth and, at the same time, protect its natural resources and shape the future of energy in the region as a whole, to achieve sustainable development and promote the welfare of citizens, residents, and visitors, and ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.
AED 65 billion in investments towards 2020
According to HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, DEWA will invest AED 65 billion in Dubai’s energy and water sector in the run up to 2020 to meet increasing demand. This will provide considerable investment opportunities, support the growth of a green economy and create a competitive advantage for the UAE in clean energy and energy-efficiency technologies. DEWA has also allocated over AED 2.6 billion to support electricity, water and renewable energy infrastructure projects, according to the highest international standards. This will contribute to organising the best World Expo in 2020, in Dubai. DEWA will focus on renewable energy sources to support Dubai Expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and its three sub themes of Sustainability, Mobility, and Opportunity.
Two solar energy sources
The solar energy connected to DEWA’s grid is derived from two sources. The first is DEWA’s solar power plants at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the largest single-site renewable energy projects in the world, the park is managed by DEWA in cooperation with the private sector. The solar park’s capacity will be 5,000 MW by 2030, and will help reduce 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions by 2030, supporting the green initiatives and programmes carried out by the government to reduce carbon emissions. The second is electricity produced from small and medium solar-energy systems. This is done by installing photovoltaic panels on rooftops of buildings and connecting them to DEWA’s grid as part of its Shams Dubai initiative, launched by DEWA.
The initiative allows customers to install photovoltaic panels on their rooftops to generate electricity from solar power. The electricity is used on-site and the surplus is exported to DEWA’s network. An offset between exported and imported electricity units is conducted and the customer account is settled based on this offset.
Photovoltaic systems
Photovoltaic systems use photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaic cells are made of semiconductors and are used to assemble photovoltaic modules, which are the components used in photovoltaic systems. A great advantage of photovoltaic systems is that they are fully-scalable and vary in size according to the local energy needs, so they can be used for residential, commercial, and industrial electricity supply. Photovoltaic systems components include solar panels, inverters, metering systems, and an interface protection system.
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