Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and in the presence of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum: 2nd Green Week and 17th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2015) opens today

1,696 exhibitors occupy an area of 55,000 square metres, with 53 sponsors

Dubai, UAE, 21 April 2015

Under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, the 2^nd Green Week was inaugurated today (Tuesday, 21 April 2015). This included opening the 17^th Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2015), which is organised by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance, and President of DEWA inaugurated WETEX 2015, which is held under the theme 'At the forefront of sustainability.' He was accompanied by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and MD & CEO of DEWA.

The opening ceremony was also attended by HE Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, Minister of Environment and Water, HE Matar Humaid Al Tayer, Chairman of DEWA, HE Saeed Al Kindi, HE Mohammed Khalaf Al Habtoor, HE Mattar Al Tayer, Chairman of the Board and Executive Director of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), HE Helal Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Tourism
and Commerce Marketing (DTCM), HE Abdulrahman Al Saleh, Director General of the Department of Finance, HE Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, HE Abdullah bin Sultan Al Owais, Chairman of Sharjah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, HE Majid Hamad Al Shamsi, DEWA Board Member, HE Ahmad Bin Humaidan, Director General of Dubai Smart Government, HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, HE Abdulla Bin Kalban, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of
Emirates Global Aluminum, HE Ibrahim Abdulmalik, Secretary General of the General Authority of Youth and Sports Welfare, HE Ibrahim Mohammed Al Janahi, Deputy CEO of Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA), and Chief Commercial Officer of EZW, a number of ambassadors and consuls, senior officials from DEWA, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and Dubai Government departments and organisations. The event was also attended by a large number of investors, traders, officials, and the media.

Following the opening ceremony, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum along with HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer and other officials toured WETEX.  HH Sheikh Hamdan was briefed on solutions and facilities on display by exhibitors from 46 countries, in addition to 26 national pavilions, and over 27 government organisations from the UAE. HH Sheikh Hamdan visited a number of stands where he was informed about their vision and strategies for sustainable development. The exhibition continues until Thursday 23 April at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre in Zabeel Hall and Halls 1 to 8. It covers 55,000 square metres.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum also opened the second Green Week, which continues from 21-27 April. It includes workshops, activities, and environmental and community initiatives tailored to raise awareness towards the rational use of electricity and water, and the importance of implementing green practices.

The first day of WETEX reviewed innovative solutions in electricity generation using nuclear power and renewable energies. It also discussed efficient and reliable smart grids in addition to everything related to water technologies including desalination, management of water resources, solutions for rational use, protecting the environment, waste management, green buildings, and solutions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid was briefed by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer on the exhibition and the extensive participation of 1,696 national and global companies and organisations. HH Sheikh Hamdan was also briefed on DEWA's projects and achievements and new additions to this year's WETEX. DEWA is showcasing a number of its key projects and initiatives. These include the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest of its kind in the region and will produce 3,000MW of electricity by 2030.

The 13MW first phase became operational on 22 October 2013. The IPP-based 200MW second phase will be operational by 2017. DEWA is also showcasing the Innovation Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which aims to enhance National capabilities in the area of energy, improve Dubai's competitiveness, develop renewable energy technologies, and support its development in the region as a whole. It also spreads awareness on climate change, sustainable development, and informs people about solar energy through interactive shows and educational tours for visitors.

DEWA is also showcasing the Research and Development Centre (R&D), which includes a solar-testing facility. It aims to develop renewable energy research, efficiency of energy use, technologies, innovation, and education in renewable energy. It also raises awareness on climate change and sustainable energy. The centre's areas of work include water research, energy efficiency, smart grids, solar energy, and water desalination using solar power. The solar-testing facility will conduct benchmarking and analysis on the latest worldwide solar technologies using photovoltaic (PV) panels and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). DEWA is also showcasing the Hassyan Clean-Coal Power Plant, with an installed capacity of 1,200MW. The first and second phases are expected to be operational by 2020 and 2021, respectively. By 2030, clean coal will be used to produce 7% of Dubai's energy.

DEWA's stand also showcases its three smart initiatives that support the Smart Dubai initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai the smartest city in the world in three years. These include Shams Dubai, which encourages building owners to install photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity. The electricity generated is used on the premises with the surplus exported to DEWA's grid. This encourages the use of renewable energy, increases its share in the energy mix, and diversifies energy sources. The second initiative includes smart applications that use smart meters and grids, which focus on DEWA's smart apps for fast service connection, fast response by instant reconnection of electricity, and the ability to monitor and compare consumption. The EV Green Charger initiative will establish the infrastructure for electric-vehicle charging stations. During the first stage, DEWA will build 100 stations across Dubai. DEWA is also showcasing its Sirb (Arabic for 'Fleet') drone initiative. This leading initiative supports Dubai's infrastructure and encourages the use of smart technologies to serve Dubai's residents. Its uses include monitoring PV panels and their cleanliness and tilting at the solar park, periodic and grid maintenance, precisely-locating faults, and field surveys of DEWA's development projects and new connections. They are also used for thermal imaging of power lines using high-quality cameras equipped with laser and night vision, in addition to sensors that decide pressure, height, magnetic field and ultrasonic scanning.

The Internet of Things initiative, which supports the announcement of 2015 as the Year of Innovation, and the Smart Dubai initiative aids the instant collection, analysis, and exchange of information between production, transmission, and distribution networks. It enhances response to customer needs, and research and development in different areas. Information is transmitted through a system that allows the exchange of information among different networks to be used in different areas. The system is not only for exchange of information, but to process, save, and analyse it in a creative way to be used in research and development and other operations. This initiative will support the grid infrastructure, enhance response to network requirements, and enhance planning, maintenance, and operations. The initiative requires coordination with different government, semi-government and private organisations (suppliers).

Al Tayer thanked HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum for inaugurating WETEX, noting that WETEX has become a hub for leading companies to promote their products in water energy, and environment technologies. It contributes to developing effective strategies and modern technologies in management of water and energy resources and the environment.

Al Tayer inaugurated WETEX 2015 seminars, which attract energy, electricity, water and environmental specialists, including engineers and technicians from various government and private associations.

Al Tayer said that the seminars over three days play an important role in consolidating WETEX's role as the ideal place to display solutions, techniques and strategies that serve the main goal of highlighting policies for conventional energy, renewable energy, oil and gas, coal and nuclear energy.

Al Tayer appreciated the support of WETEX sponsors, including Titanium, Platinum, and Gold sponsors as well as other organisations. The Higher Organising Committee also thanked the companies supporting WETEX 2015.

On the first day, WETEX saw a display of a range of cutting-edge solutions, which include agricultural equipment and systems to address salinity, modern irrigation systems, water equipment, boilers, cables, electric transformers, conductors and energy products, pipes, valves, generators, transmission equipment and distribution of electricity, and other modern products.

Siemens AG is WETEX's Titanium sponsor. The Strategic sponsors include the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Empower, Mai Dubai, Emirates Energy Award, Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), Gulf Eternit Industries Company, Ghantoot Group, Al Futtaim, AWRostamani Arabian Automobiles, Emirates Electrical Engineering (EEE), ABB Industries, Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), ITS, Trizac Holding, ACWA Power, DF Energy, Jazeera Emirates Power, Future Pipe Industries, and Techno Park. DMI is also participating as Strategic Media sponsor, and the Ministry of Energy is participating as a Government sponsor.

Platinum Sponsors include Ducab, Riyadh Cables Group, Jeddah Cables Company, China Railway, Ericsson, Suqoon Printing Press and Publishing, Eagle Electromechanical & Al Hijaz Mechanical Equipment Co, Global Energy Technologies, United Power and Technologies (UPTECH), AMGC and AMT (part of Al Mostajed Technologies), ZETAS Zemin Teknolojisi Anonim Sirketi. The Gold Sponsors' list includes Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Kanoo Energy, ETA Star Group, Dubai Investments, Sunten Electric Co, Energoprojekt Entel Company, Lucy Electric Middle East, Scientechnic, Dragon Oil, Emirates Transformers & Switchgear Limited, Centaur Electro-Mechanical Contracting, General Electric, Getra Power, Abengoa, Prysmian Group, Torishima, GULF JYOTI, United Motors & Heavy Equipment, ADECO, BASF, Value Addition, Gulf Turrets LLC and the AFAQ group.

Other organisations supporting WETEX 2015 include the French Business Council in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, the French Trade Commission (Ubifrance), American Water Works Association (AWWA-USA), Water Environment Federation (WEF), Chamber of Engineering Industries - Engineering Export Council of Egypt, Construction World, Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA), Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE), Taiwan Drinking Water Association (TDWA), Korean Association of Machinery Industry (KOAMI), Shell Lubricants, the Green Economy Partnership, Saudi Export Development Authority (Saudi Exports), Istanbul Minerals & Metals Exporters' Associations (IMMIB - Turkish Government Associations). The exhibition is also supported by Oil and Gas Directory - Middle East as Supporting Media, Infrastructure Middle East, Utilities Middle East, and Pumps and Systems MENA.

-Ends-

Ribal Dayekh or Noora Khoory
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
+9714 515 1784
ribal.dayekh@dewa.gov.ae  
noora.khoory@dewa.gov.ae 

© Press Release 2015