Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has connected 1,354 photovoltaic installations on residential, commercial and industrial buildings in Dubai, with a total capacity of 125 megawatts (MW).
This is due to its Shams Dubai initiative to encourage customers to install solar panels at their premises to generate electricity from solar power and export any excess to the power grid.
Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, CEO of DEWA, said: “DEWA supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to generate 75 per cent of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2050.
He added: “Shams Dubai gives Dubai’s residents the opportunity to transform their buildings into sustainable ones, reduce the Emirate’s carbon footprint, and increase the proportion of solar power in Dubai’s environmentally-friendly energy mix.
“Through this initiative, community members will promote sustainable development in Dubai and transform the Emirate into a global hub for clean energy and green economy.”
The Shams Dubai initiative’s first customer to connect solar photovoltaic systems to DEWA’s grid was the rooftop of the employees’ building at Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport, with a capacity of 30 kilowatts at peak load (kWp).
After that, a number of projects were completed, including the one-megawatt at peak load (MWp) carport installation at Emirates Engine Maintenance Centre in Warsan, a number of Dubai Municipality buildings, including the 260kWp carport at the Khawaneej park, the 1,210kWp plant at the Engineer’s Office’s water pumping station at Al Qudra, the 126kWp canopy at ENOC petrol station near Dubai Internet City, and 426 villas at the Sustainable City, said Al Tayer.
DEWA also connected a number of distributed solar projects at its own premises, including the 1.5 MWp plant at Jebel Ali Power Station. This installation covers the roof of Jebel Ali’s M Station, which is one of the largest rooftop projects in the Middle East and North Africa. DEWA partnered with 19 government organisations in Dubai, sponsoring 37 projects under the Shams Dubai initiative. These projects include schools, mosques, and villas under the umbrella of the Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Housing Establishment.
“In addition, DEWA’s Shams Dubai Calculator was launched on DEWA’s website to support and educate customers who want to install solar panels on rooftops, by providing estimated comparisons and additional information with ease…” added Al Tayer. (GULF NEWS)
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