Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has visited the R&D Centre at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, aiming to evaluate the progress of projects undertaken by DEWA
Al Tayer inspected the R&D Centre?s infrastructure facilities that include projects and programmes consisting of internal labs to study and test system reliability and external field testing of new technologies and equipment.
In addition, it further includes studying the performance and reliability of solar photovoltaic panels and removing dust soiling on them.
Some of the major aspects that the R&D Centre focuses on include producing electricity from solar power and other clean energy technologies, integrating smart grids, ensuring energy efficiency and water.
During his visit, Al Tayer also reviewed the work of the R&D Centre?s labs, which aims to use the best international practices in research and development. DEWA is also using 3D-printing and additive manufacturing as innovative solutions for its internal printing operations for spare parts for DEWA?s generation, transmission and distribution divisions to reduce procurement time and costs, prolong the life of the equipment and promote innovation.
Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Panels (BIPV) are installed on the rooftop and outer walls of the Centre to produce electricity from clean solar power. It also includes various labs and workshops such as a solar-radiation-simulation lab, an electronics lab, a mechanical lab and chemicals lab.
DEWA has signed agreements with several national entities, institutions and companies including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the US Department of Energy and the Spanish National Renewable Energy Centre (CENER) in R&D, on the latest developments in power, water and the environment. DEWA is also collaborating with the UAE University and Khalifa University on joint research and studies in renewable and alternative energy.
