HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) inaugurated the 5th Innovation Summit 2017, the largest of its kind in the region and organised by Schneider Electric, the leading international company in energy and automation management. The summit was held at the Atlantis on The Palm on 11-12 April 2017, focusing on cities of the future, the Internet of Things, and the future of energy management and automation.
“I am pleased to welcome you to the 5th Innovation Summit 2017 organised by Schneider Electric. To begin, I would like to thank the organisers of the summit, which has become an important platform for the exchange of best practices, experiences and updates on innovation,” said Al Tayer in his keynote speech.
“In adherence with the UAE National Innovation Strategy, launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform the UAE into one of the most innovative countries in the world, and to support the Smart Dubai initiative of His Highness to make Dubai the happiest and smartest city on Earth, DEWA has launched many promising programmes, initiatives and projects. As an innovative strategy-focused organisation, we develop short-, medium- and long-term plans to enable Dubai to achieve the government of the future and to achieve our vision to become a sustainable innovative world class utility. We are the first government organisation to adopt sustainability as part of our vision. Our corporate values and strategic plans are aligned to achieve long-term sustainability objectives in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals for 2030. DEWA has assisted and supported the establishment of the first global pioneer organisation in green economy. The World Green Economy Organisation (WGEO) is an international organisation launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, in October 2016, and is supported by the UAE and in partnership with the UNDP,” added Al Tayer.
“At DEWA, we work to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to provide 7% of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2020, 25% by 2030, and 75% by 2050. The strategy also aims to transform Dubai into a global hub for clean energy and green economy, as the city with the lowest carbon footprint globally by 2050. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, is instrumental to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. The Park’s production capacity will reach 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030 with investments totalling AED 50 billion. It will eventually save over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year, supporting Dubai’s objectives to promote sustainable development and a green economy. HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, recently inaugurated the 200 megawatt (MW) second phase of the Park which became operational last month. To diversify energy resources and increase the use of clean and renewable energy, we launched a strategic project to build a pumped storage hydroelectric power station that will make use of the water stored in the mountains next to Hatta dam. This project that will be completed in 5 years and is the first of its kind in the region. It will produce 250MW with a lifespan of 60-80 years. We have also started construction of our new headquarters. Called Al-Sheraa, it will be the tallest, largest, and smartest net Zero Energy Building (ZEB) in the world, which means no carbon emissions after the installation of the photovoltaic panels. Our major innovative electricity and water generation projects to improve efficiency will make cumulative savings of up to AED 60 billion and also contribute to reducing carbon emissions by 201 million tonnes by 2030. DEWA adopts a clear strategy to ensure that by 2030, 100% of desalinated water will be produced by a mix of clean energy that uses both renewable energy and waste heat,” said Al Tayer.
“We have already started enhancing our electricity and water infrastructure to be smarter, by using the latest developments in smart grid components and systems. It will provide advanced features and includes automated decision-making and interoperability across the entire electricity and water network. DEWA works with start-ups and accelerators to develop technologies to rationalise energy and water consumption, and implement smarter grids capable of covering generation, transmission and distribution systems. A smart grid is a key element in DEWA’s strategy to develop an advanced infrastructure to support Dubai becoming a smart and happy city. The Smart Grid also supports Dubai’s Demand Side Management Strategy and its overall objective to reduce energy and water consumption by 30% by 2030, and is in line with the Dubai Plan 2021. The smart grid strategy defines eleven programmes that will be completed over the short-, medium- and long-term, from 2014 to 2035. DEWA has also developed a special Internet of Things initiative that gathers, analyses and exchanges information between generation, transmission and distribution networks in a timely manner, enhancing customer responsiveness and Research and Development (R&D) in various fields. Our initiative includes sensor networks and IP connectivity, exchange of information with the Smart Dubai initiative, big data and analytics, smart development and an interoperability framework,” noted Al Tayer.
Al Tayer added that there are two tracks for DEWA’s work in this initiative: an R&D path that looks into the future developments and helps to build knowledge and capabilities, and the operational path that ensures a practical way of deploying solutions into the daily operations of DEWA’s services.
DEWA gives priority to R&D in sustainability and renewable energy, including solar energy. DEWA’s Innovation Centre is located in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. It is an inspirational destination that feeds creative thinking, provides cutting-edge inventions, acts as an educational platform for solar energy, and encourages interest in renewable energy. The park includes a group of R&D centres that specialise in clean energy, and conducts research according to the best international practices.
“We are also using disruptive technologies to prepare for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. DEWA also uses the best international R&D practices for the production, transmission, and distribution of electricity and water services, that are world-class, enhance living standards, and achieve the happiness of the community. Our R&D focuses on water, energy efficiency, Smart Grids Integration, and energy production from renewable solar power. The R&D Centre comprises both an outdoor-testing facility and indoor laboratories. The outdoor testing facility include photovoltaic, CSP (Concentrated Solar Power), BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) and other technologies. The indoor laboratories, which are under construction, include physical, environmental and optical labs, power electronics and an energy storage test facility, a drone lab in a 3D-printed building, Additive Manufacturing (3D printing) facilities, energy efficiency and electronics and mechanical workshops, and design and simulation facilities. DEWA is also adopting the 3D printing technology as an in-house innovation solution to replacing the defective or broken non-metallic parts of electrical equipment. This will enhance innovation, eliminating the lead time for procurement, reduce costs and extend the lifetime of the equipment. We are currently working with Smart Dubai to implement the directives of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to implement Dubai Block Chain Strategy to be the first government in the world to execute all applicable transactions on the blockchain by 2020,” added Al Tayer.
“As part of DEWA’s efforts to enhance Artificial Intelligence (AI), DEWA launched an online chatbot as a virtual employee. Called Rammas, the service communicates with customers in both Arabic and English, and responds to their enquiries. We are one of the first government organisations to use this technology, demonstrating our technological innovation. The application is available on both iOS and Android platforms, in addition to DEWA’s website, Facebook page, and on the Alexa smart device from Amazon. DEWA strives to achieve a sustainable future for generations to come. We have published our sustainability report for the last three years in accordance with the latest GRI G4 guidelines and joined GRI GOLD Community in January 2017. We are one of the first organisations in the region, and a leader in the UAE for developing significant expertise in carbon offsetting, having registered five Clean Development Mechanism projects under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),” said Al Tayer.
“All these projects and initiatives reflect our commitment to build a sustainable future, support economic growth and preserve the environment. This contributes to achieving the UAE Vision 2021 and the long-term Green Economy for Sustainable Development national initiative. Thank you all for the kind invitation and I hope everyone benefits from this important summit,” concluded Al Tayer.
The summit is expected to attract over 2,500 participants, including prominent sector leaders in the Middle East, Europe, and Africa.
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