Dubai, UAE: HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), welcomed a high-level delegation led by HE Darragh O’Brien T.D., Minister of Climate, Energy and the Environment, and Minister of Transport of the Republic of Ireland, at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world. Discussions centred on opportunities for collaboration in renewable energy and climate change mitigation technologies. Deliberations included global strategies for the transition to clean energy and policies supporting sustainable urban development.

The meeting was attended by senior DEWA officials, including Waleed bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence, Dr Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources, and Dr Aaesha Abdulla Alnuaimi, Director of the Sustainability and Innovation Centre.

The delegation toured DEWA’s Sustainability and Innovation Centre, which is located at the solar park and serves as a global incubator for innovation in clean and renewable energy. The centre is one of the most advanced platforms of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, playing a pivotal role in supporting Dubai and the UAE’s green economy, carbon neutrality and sustainability goals.

Al Tayer presented DEWA’s major initiatives and innovative projects that support the vision of the wise leadership to promote sustainability and accelerate the transition to a green economy. He outlined DEWA’s adoption of disruptive Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), across its services and operations, supported by its investments in advanced digital infrastructure. 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.

The delegation was briefed on progress at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which has a current capacity of 3,860 megawatts (MW) and accounts for 21.5% of Dubai’s total energy mix. By 2030, the solar park’s capacity is set to surpass 8,000MW (up from the originally planned 5,000MW), raising clean energy’s share to 36.1% (from the original target of 25%) and reducing annual emissions by over 8.5 million tonnes (compared to the initial estimate of 6.5 million tonnes). The delegation learnt about its various phases, including the pioneering use of concentrated solar power and photovoltaic technologies, and its role in significantly reducing carbon emissions.

Al Tayer also showcased landmark projects such as Al-Sheraa, the world’s tallest, largest and smartest net-positive government building. The building is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification and the WELL Gold certification for green buildings. Al-Sheraa will utilise cutting-edge technologies, including the Internet of Things, big and open data, and AI.

Al Tayer also spoke about the Hatta Hydroelectric Power Station, the first of its kind in the GCC region, with a capacity of 250MW, which will generate electricity using water stored in the Hatta Dam. He also discussed the Green Hydrogen project, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region to produce hydrogen using solar energy, emphasising its role in supporting the diversification of clean energy sources and enhancing grid resilience.

For more information, please visit DEWA’s website www.dewa.gov.ae