Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said it aims to make Dubai a smart, integrated and connected city with high-tech energy and water infrastructure ahead of Expo 2020.

It has launched a wide variety of initiatives to support this, included allocation of over Dh2.6 billion ($707 million) to boost its electricity, water, and renewable energy projects.

This supports Dubai Expo’s theme of ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and its three sub-themes of sustainability, mobility and opportunity.

It will also achieve the Dubai Plan 2021 to make it a smart, integrated and connected city that has a high-tech infrastructure that supports social and economic development to be on a par with the best cities in the world.  

Dewa focuses its efforts on setting up an excellent energy infrastructure that meets the emirate’s development needs.

To emphasise its commitment to sustainability, which is one of the main pillars of World Expo 2020 in Dubai, Dewa has also assigned a large part of the budget to clean-energy-related projects in support of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.

Most prominent of these projects is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park and the Shams Dubai project to encourage building owners to install photovoltaic panels to generate electricity from solar energy and connect it to Dewa’s grid.

Dewa has also budgeted for research and development, and research and innovation in renewable energy. All these will promote sustainable development in the UAE, it added.

Dewa operates the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the largest single-site renewable energy projects in the world.

The park will have a capacity of 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030. The project will provide a dedicated supply of 100 MW to Dubai Expo 2020 to manage its energy requirements.

The project also supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to provide seven per cent of Dubai’s energy from clean sources by 2020. It will increase this target to 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive, highlighted Dewa’s preeminent international position as an exemplary utility company underlining its ability to provide excellent services to host Dubai Expo 2020.

"It is establishing the required infrastructure to provide electricity and water to over 25 million expected visitors and meet the needs of the mega infrastructure projects being executed in preparation for hosting this major international event," he stated.

"Dewa will persist in its quest for success through the comprehensive development of its operations to achieve excellence by adopting global best practices. It is a leading, world-class utility service provider that has several drivers to make it an active contributor to organising the best World Expo in Dubai," he added.-TradeArabia News Service