DUBAI, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) held a press conference about the Green Hydrogen project, which will be inaugurated tomorrow, 19th May, 2021, at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, under the patronage and in the presence of H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.
Al Tayer said that the project, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa to produce green hydrogen using solar energy, reflects wise leadership’s vision to promote creativity, innovation, the green economy and sustainable development.
He noted that DEWA’s approach is based on scientific foundations and pilot projects, including the green hydrogen pilot project, which will build national capabilities and competencies, and will promote the development of green hydrogen projects in the UAE.
This will be in line with the model DEWA adopted in the projects of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in which DEWA started its first phase with a pilot project with a capacity of 13 megawatts. The total production capacity of the solar park’s operational phases is currently 1,013 megawatts. The projects currently under construction have a total capacity of 1,850 megawatts, with future phases to reach 5,000 megawatts by 2030.
“We have a clear approach for the energy sector in line witht the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. We are using the latest Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain to enhance energy efficiency and increase the happiness of all stakeholders including customers. The share of clean energy capacity in Dubai’s energy mix has increased to around 9 percent. This exceeds the percentage set in the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to provide 7 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2020,” Al Tayer said.
Al Tayer noted that these efforts have contributed to Dubai’s success in reducing 22 percent of carbon emissions by 2019, surpassing its previous target of reducing 16 percent of carbon emissions by 2021.
“Thanks to the directives of the wise leadership, we are continuing to expand the use of clean energy. We currently have promising solar projects at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in addition to the hydroelectric power station in Hatta, as well as other projects under study to use wind energy,” he added.
During the conference, Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s key achievements and the latest developments in its pioneering initiatives. DEWA has attracted around AED 40 billion in investments through the Independent Power Producer (IPP) and Independent Water Producer (IWPP) model that strengthens the partnership between the public and private sectors.
Al Tayer said that next July, DEWA will commission the 300-megawatt first stage of the fifth phase of the solar park, which will have a capacity of 900 megawatts using photovoltaic solar panels.
In September, DEWA will commission the world’s tallest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) tower at 262.44 metres and a capacity of 100 megawatts, in addition to 200 megawatts from parabolic trough. This is the largest single-site solar investment project of its kind in the world. It combines CSP and photovoltaic solar panels, with a capacity of 950 megawatts, with investments totalling AED 16 billion. This phase is characterised by the largest storage capacity in the world for 15 hours, which allows for around-the-clock energy production.
Al Tayer said that DEWA started the tunneling operations of the hydroelectric power station in Hatta. The progress in the 250-megawatt project is 22.84 percent.
“To keep pace with the continuous growth of Dubai, and as part of our commitment to creating proactive solutions to the challenges of the next 50 years, we continuously work to implement various projects to meet the growing demand for electricity and water in the Emirate. DEWA’s total production capacity is currently 12,900 megawatts of electricity and 490 million gallons of desalinated water per day,” he noted.
DEWA, through its subsidiary Etihad ESCO, retrofitted 7,197 buildings, including 4,878 villas in Dubai. It installed photovoltaic solar panels on 5,442 buildings, including 4,878 villas, bringing the total number of buildings that have been retrofitted and solar panels installed on them to 7,763.
“DEWA’s Jebel Ali Power Generation & Water Production Complex has been confirmed by Guinness World Records as the largest single-site natural gas power generation facility in the world with an electricity generation capacity of 9,547 megawatts, adding to DEWA’s record of global achievements,” concluded Al Tayer.
Source: Emirates News Agency