Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with 3M, an international company specialised in Research and Development (R&D), to exchange and share knowledge and expertise in anticipating the future and developing disruptive innovation in DEWA’s work. This is part of DEWA’s efforts to keep pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The MoU was signed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, and Robert Nichols, Managing Director of 3M in the Middle East & North Africa. The signing ceremony was attended by Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and the Future, and Khawla Al Mehairi, Executive Vice President of Strategy and Government Communications at DEWA. It was also attended by Osama Hammoudeh, Director of Strategic Accounts and Government Affairs, and Ibrahim Tawfik, General Manager of Safety Business at 3M.
The MoU aims to enhance cooperation in several areas including anticipating and leading transition in new technologies, supporting and encouraging disruptive innovations by exploring investment opportunities to develop new services, and support promising start-ups in areas expected to shape the future. This includes Internet of Things (IoT) and activities that foster innovation such as Hackathons. The two sides will work together to benefit from international experiences and expertise in energy and sustainability solutions in buildings to reduce energy use. According to the MoU, the two parties will develop and implement pilot projects and cooperate in R&D to raise safety standards in the workplace.
“At DEWA, we strive to achieve the vision of our wise leadership to anticipate the future, and innovate and employ new technologies to achieve the best results. Our strategies and initiatives are in line with national plans and strategies. These include the UAE Centennial 2071, which is a long-term government plan to prepare the UAE and young Emiratis for the future, the UAE Artificial Intelligence Strategy, to create productive, creative, and innovative environments, through the investment and application of AI technologies and tools, the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to diversify the energy mix and provide 75% of Dubai’s total power output from clean sources by 2050, and the Dubai 10x Initiative, which mandates the Government of Dubai to be a global leader that is 10 years ahead of all other cities through government innovation and reformulation of traditional work mechanisms,” said Al Tayer.
“The MoU with 3M supports our efforts to enhance DEWA’s competitiveness and excellence in the fast-paced technological developments. We do this by cooperating with leading international companies and organisations to develop disruptive technologies and innovative solutions that keep pace with the rapid changes and help us anticipate opportunities and develop long-term proactive plans. This also helps us make use of the most successful experiences and best international practices in smart grid and data network solutions, to support DEWA’s vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility,” added Al Tayer.
“It is with great pleasure that we join forces with DEWA to successfully and effectively bring our innovations to life in the UAE. Together, we have agreed to work on preliminary projects and cooperative studies that will improve sustainability in the energy sector in Dubai. 3M enjoys deep roots within the global energy sector, and we are bringing our expertise to the UAE by collaborating with entities who, like us, are driven to discover new ways to harness the earth’s energy and optimise valuable natural resources. We are confident that the partnership will enhance collaboration between public and private entities and provide innovative solutions,” said Nichols.