HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer receives Speaker of Utah House of Representatives and accompanying delegation from the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission of Utah, USA

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD&CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), met a delegation from the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission of the Utah House of Representatives, USA. He highlighted DEWA’s projects and initiatives that are guided by the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

The delegation was led by Brad Wilson, Speaker of Utah House Representatives and included Senator Scott Sandall from the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission of the Utah House of Representatives. The visit aimed to discuss bilateral cooperation and learn about DEWA’s ambitious initiatives and innovative development projects in the water and renewable and clean energy sectors, in line with the wise leadership’s vision. The visitors also learned about Dubai's exemplary experience in providing advanced and integrated infrastructure for electricity and water according to the highest standards of reliability, availability, and efficiency to meet the increasing demand and keep pace with sustainable development needs.

The meeting was attended by Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence; Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President of Business Support and Human Resources, and Marwan Bin Haidar, Executive Vice President of Innovation and The Future at DEWA.

Al Tayer welcomed the American delegation, explaining DEWA’s work, activities, development and continuous progress in its services. He highlighted DEWA’s key projects, especially the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world, using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. It will have a production capacity of 5,000 megawatts by 2030. Al Tayer also talked about the pumped-storage hydroelectric power plant in Hatta using clean energy which is the first in the GCC area, the Green Hydrogen project, the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, and DEWA’s other key projects and strategic initiatives that support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

Al Tayer also talked about DEWA’s new headquarters, called Al-Shera’a (Arabic for sail), which will be the tallest, largest, and smartest government Zero Energy building in the world. Total energy used in the building during a year will be equal to or less than the energy produced on-site during that year. DEWA’s new headquarters is designed to receive a platinum rating by LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and a gold rating from the WELL Building Standard.

Al Tayer explained that DEWA has plans to invest AED 40 billion in capital expenditure in five years, especially to expand renewable and clean energy projects. DEWA has a robust infrastructure capable of meeting the growing demand, supporting the growth of the green economy, and enhancing the competitiveness of the UAE in clean energy and energy efficiency technologies. DEWA has adopted the Independent Power and Water Producer (IPWP) model, contributing to a significant decrease in capital expenditure per megawatt of installed energy. DEWA has attracted investments of about AED 40 billion using this model. DEWA has also achieved many world records for the lowest price (levelized cost) of solar energy and desalinated water, making Dubai a global benchmark for solar energy and desalinated water prices.

Al Tayer also said that DEWA is committed to maintaining its global position as one of the most distinguished and pioneering utilities in the world. It is keen to enrich the customer experience through digital services that save their time and efforts by using the latest disruptive technologies of the fourth industrial revolution including Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools. Through Digital DEWA, its digital arm, DEWA works to redefine the concept of a utility by contributing to creating a new digital future for Dubai and become the first digital utility in the world with autonomous systems for renewable energy and storage, with the expansion of AI and digital services.

The visiting delegation said American companies were interested in participating in DEWA’s projects, especially those related to clean energy, as well as exchanging experiences, information, technologies and best international practices. They stressed the importance of discussing cooperation opportunities and strengthening bilateral relations.