With an aim to cut down energy consumption by 30 percent through 2030, Dubai has put aside approximately Dh50 billion for various renewable energy projects.
Out of the total investment of Dh50bn, approximately Dh10bn will be used to generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project.
Around Dh7bn will be utilized for the smart city initiative to reduce consumption.
As part of a new resolution issued during Smart Dubai initiative, rooftop solar energy owners can direct the excess generated power back into the power grid.
The authority is currently evaluating bids for a 100 MW solar photovoltaic plant and the contracts will be awarded in the first quarter of next year.
Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power has been picked out for the solar project development, which is expected to be commissioned before the summer of 2017.
UAE has kept a goal of reducing dependence on fossil fuel, promoting various solar energy schemes.
However, any drop in oil prices may affect the growth of renewables for a country like oil-rich Dubai that boasts of 8 percent of world’s oil reserves.
It is to be noted that, clean energy investments fell to US$251bn last year from a peak of $317bn in 2011 in Dubai.
The green building project, an energy-efficiency program for building projects was started in 2008 by the Supreme Council of Energy in collaboration with the Dubai Municipality and Dubai Electricity and Water Authority.
To get a green certificate, the building has to meet 79 energy-saving standards and the criteria include measures such as thermal insulation of buildings, energy-efficient equipment for air conditioning and solar water heaters.
In May, Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) entered into a contract with the German firm RWE to establish an agency by next year to promote low-carbon industries and attract foreign investment in renewables.
Entire electricity plants in Dubai depends on energy supplied by gas plants and by 2030 the city is expected to achieve 5 per cent of its energy needs from solar power, 12 percent from coal, another 12 per cent from nuclear and the remaining from gas.
Dubai wants to produce 5 per cent of its power from solar by 2020 and the energy demand in Dubai is growing by 5 per cent a year, with the current installed capacity being 9,700 MW.
Sabeena Wahid
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