Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) has approved a total budget of US$6.42bn for 2016, compared to US$6.26bn in 2015, to adopt the latest clean energy technologies in order to provide reliable and efficient water supply
In addition, DEWA has also launched strategic projects worth over US$7.35bn that would use the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model to leverage public private partnerships and build new capacity in renewable energy and diversify the emirate?s energy mix in the long-term.
The new budget is ensured to meet Dubai?s development plans as per the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, according to the utilities company.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, CEO of DEWA, said, ?This budget for 2016 is aligned to the directives of our visionary leadership and will meet all the requirements of DEWA?s projects, operational facilities, ambitious initiatives in electricity and water, and all smart grid projects and services that will contribute to supporting DEWA?s service delivery, smoothly, easily and efficiently, to all Dubai?s customers.
?DEWA has assigned part of the budget to support our leadership's drive to promote initiatives in smart services to make Dubai the happiest city in the world, in line with the Smart Dubai initiative launched by HH Rashid Al Maktoum.?
He added that DEWA has also assigned a large part of the budget to clean energy-related projects in support of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by HH Rashid Al Maktoum, to provide 75 per cent of Dubai?s total power output from clean energy. This would make Dubai?s carbon footprint the lowest in the world.
?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.? Al Tayer noted.
The 2016 budget includes a number of key projects, including US$816mn in generation, US$854mn in power transmission, US$350mn in power distribution, and US$283mn in water and civil, in addition to other amounts totalling US$25mn.
To increase water storage capacity at DEWA, US$66.7mn will be budgeted to build two water reservoirs at Al Nakhly, and a further US$13.6mn to build a water pumping station on the Dubai-Al Ain road, as well as other water transmission and distribution projects.
Al Tayer revealed, ?DEWA?s budget is aligned to the UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021, which sets a roadmap, including ambitious initiatives and development projects that combine economic and commercial growth with clean energy and sustainable environment, all of which will make Dubai a smart, sustainable and integrated city that ensures resources sustainability, energy efficiency, and green innovation, for generations to come.?
