São Paulo – Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) will invest US$ 8.16 billion at Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The plan is to increase the energy power generating capacity from 13 megawatts (MW) currently produced to 3,000 megawatts until 2030. The information was published this Sunday (12th) by the website of the local newspaper Gulf News.
“The Solar Park is one of the biggest renewable energy projects in the region, with a capacity planning of one thousand megawatts until 2019 at a cost of 12 billion dirhams (US$ 3.26 billion), and when this stage is finished, until 2030 its capacity will expanded to 3,000 megawatts with a cost of 30 billion dirhams (US$ 8.16 billion)”, said Saeed Al Tayer, Dewa’s CEO, according to the Gulf News.
The newspaper said that, according to the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 20130, solar power will account for 7% of the total power production of the Emirate in 2020, and for 15% in 2030.
According to the newspaper, Tayer also announced the opening of a Centre for Research and Development for innovation projects with a budget of US$ 40.83 million. The centre will work in projects concerning solar power, renewable energy, energy efficiency, water desalinization through solar energy and intelligent networks.
According to Walid Salman, Dewa’s executive vice-president of strategy and business development, the agency committed US$ 1.9 billion for the implementation of a smart network to increase energy efficiency in the Emirate.
A smart network, the Gulf News explains, is an electric grid that uses communication technology to automatically gather information such as behavior data of suppliers and consumers, to increase efficiency, reliability, economy and sustainability of production and energy distribution.
“Through these initiatives, Dewa will implement the technology of smart networks to improve around one hundred thousand old buildings in Dubai to increase energy efficiency, energy savings and protect the environment”, Salman emphasized.
*Translated by Sérgio Kakitani
