Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has inaugurated a 1.5 megawatt direct current (MWdc) photovoltaic (PV) generation project at Jebel Ali Power Station (JAPS), one of the largest single-rooftop arrays in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region, and successfully connected it to Dewa's grid.

The Dubai utility has installed 5,240 PV panels on 23,000 sq m of the roof of the water reservoir at M-Station, which is the newest and largest power production and desalination plant in the UAE.

Once it starts operation, the modules will produce 1.5 MW by converting solar energy into electricity, which will be used to meet the station’s energy needs, and will generate 2,666 MW/h of clean electricity annually, said a statement from Dewa.

This supports the Shams Dubai initiative launched by the leadership to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world, it stated.

The Dubai utility said this will engage the community in the production of electricity from solar energy, preserve the environment and lower the country’s carbon footprint, while also encouraging the development of a green economy to achieve sustainable development.

Shams Dubai allows customers to install photovoltaic panels on their rooftops to generate electricity from solar power, it added.

"The project aims to increase dependence on renewable energy, and reduce the carbon emissions produced by different operations at the station. The project also expects to see an annual carbon dioxide reduction of about 1,600 tonnes," remarked Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dewa.

"The surplus energy will be exported to an internal power network at our Jebel Ali unit," he added.

The inauguration was attended by Nasser Lootah, the executive vice president (generation) at Dewa, Mansoor Al Suwaidi, the vice president (generation projects) and other senior officials.-TradeArabia News Service