Dubai [UAE], February 7: Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), welcomed an Italian parliamentary delegation headed by Jacopo Morrone, President of the Italian Parliamentary Bicameral Ecomafia Commission on Climate and Environment, to discuss strengthening collaboration in renewable energy and advanced technologies to combat climate change.
Al Tayer welcomed the delegation and praised the long-standing, distinguished relations between the UAE and Italy. He reaffirmed DEWA's commitment to working closely with Italian companies and international partners, emphasising the importance of knowledge exchange, innovation and the adoption of best practices and advanced technologies in sustainability, clean energy and the circular economy.
The meeting also discussed global strategies for accelerating the transition to clean energy and the policies that underpin sustainable development. It also explored opportunities to strengthen co-operation in areas of mutual interest, particularly sustainability, clean energy and innovation, as well as initiatives aligned with the sustainability goals of both the UAE and Italy, especially in renewable and clean energy technologies.
Al Tayer highlighted DEWA's major initiatives and innovative projects that support the vision of the wise leadership to consolidate sustainability and accelerate the transition to a green economy. These efforts align with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, which aim to provide 100% of the emirate's energy production capacity from clean sources by 2050. He outlined DEWA's adoption of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), across its services and operations, supported by strategic investments in advanced digital infrastructure.
Al Tayer briefed the delegation on DEWA's key projects and initiatives, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which has a current capacity of 3,860MW and accounts for 21.5% of Dubai's total energy mix. By 2030, the solar park's capacity is set to exceed 8,000MW, compared to the original target of 5,000MW, increasing clean energy's share to 36.1%, compared to the initial target of 25%. This expansion will reduce annual carbon emissions by more than 8.5 million tonnes, compared to the initial estimate of 6.5 million tonnes. The delegation also learnt about the solar park's various phases and advanced technologies, including photovoltaic and concentrated solar power, and its role in reducing carbon emissions.
Al Tayer underscored DEWA's global leadership, noting its continuous benchmarking against international best practices and standards. DEWA ranks first worldwide in 13 key performance indicators, including the lowest electricity customer minutes lost, the lowest losses in transmission and distribution networks, the highest levels of customer satisfaction, and a high level of organisational readiness to anticipate challenges and future requirements.
Al Tayer also spoke about DEWA's new headquarters, Al Shera'a, which will be the world's tallest, largest and smartest net-positive government building. The building has been designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification and WELL Gold certification for green buildings and will utilise cutting-edge technologies, including the Internet of Things, big and open data and AI. He also highlighted the 250MW hydroelectric power plant in Hatta, the first of its kind in the GCC, as well as the Green Hydrogen project, the first of its kind in the region.
The meeting was attended by senior DEWA officials, including Waleed bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence, Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future, and Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources.
Source: Emirates News Agency
