Dubai Airports Company and Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), a subsidiary of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), have installed 15,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels at Dubai International Airport?s (DXB) terminal 2
With a capacity of five megawatts peak, the solar project is aimed at generating 7,483,500kWh energy annually for Dubai Airports Company, resulting in savings worth US$900,000.
The project is set to reduce existing Terminal 2 load by approximately 29 per cent, while slashing annual CO2 emissions by 3,243 mt, which is equivalent to 53,617 tree seedlings grown for 10 years or 688 passenger vehicles driven for one year.
The project is part of Shams Dubai, DEWA?s first smart initiative that aims to promote the use of clean renewable energy sources. The programme encourages the installation of solar panels on rooftops to generate electricity from solar power and connecting it to DEWA?s grid to transfer surplus generation. It is stated that Etihad ESCO will provide maintenance services for Dubai Airports for a period of seven years from completion.
Michael Ibbitson, executive vice-president, infrastructure and technology, Dubai Airports Company, said, ?Dubai Airports has undertaken a variety of green initiatives over the past several years to limit our carbon footprint and support Dubai?s goal for a 30 per cent reduction in the city?s energy consumption by 2030.?
Ali Al Jassim, CEO, Etihad ESCO, commented, ?The Shams Dubai initiative supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai one of the smartest cities in the world. Etihad ESCO aims to retrofit 30,000 buildings by 2030 and is currently preparing to implement US$108.90mn worth of projects, expanding beyond building retrofits to include industrial retrofits and solar projects.?
