Dubai - MENA Herald: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has conducted its Dubai-USA Briefing today in California, in collaboration with the National US-Arab Chamber of Commerce (NUSACC), the organisation that promotes and supports US-Arab business and economic cooperation. The US Department of Energy (DoE), the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, US Commercial Services, and the US—UAE Business Council also supported the event. The event was part of a visit by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and MD & CEO of DEWA, in response to an invitation from the DoE to participate in the Final Award Ceremony of the Solar Decathlon USA held in Irvine, California from 14—18 October. The delegation included HE Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Saif Al Alili, Chief Executive Officer of Dubai Museum of the Future Foundation, Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at DEWA, Dr. Yousef Al Akraf, Executive Vice President Business Support & HR at DEWA, Mohammed Abdulkarim Al Shamsi, Acting Executive Director of UAE Water Aid, Pedro Banda, Director of Research & Development at DEWA, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Vice President of Civil Projects Engineering & Water Maintenance at DEWA, Ahmed Abdullah, Senior Manager of External Communications at DEWA, and Saoud Ghalib, Senior Manager of Special Projects at DEWA.
The delegation also met with leading international electric vehicle companies and discussed the latest developments. DEWA organised a forum with pioneering US companies after the meeting, to discuss several areas, including water, solar and renewable energy, and explored ways to enhance cooperation between DEWA and US companies in many of ongoing projects.
The forum boosts Dubai's efforts to develop a green economy and furthers the Global Green Public-Private Partnership (PPP) platform and the Green Economy Marketplace Initiative. The Dubai-USA meeting sought to discuss the Green Public-Private Partnership’s latest updates in sustainable consumption, sustainable mobility, innovation, renewable energy, sustainable buildings and infrastructure by establishing the PPP Platform for green PPP projects, and accessibility for relevant stakeholders, including cities, solution providers, utilities, and financiers to share best practices for innovative green economy solutions. The event also identified and supported new opportunities for US Companies, Associations, and Academics in water, energy, renewables, smart technologies and environment.
“In support of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai and the UAE into a global hub of green economy and sustainable development, we are gathered here today to provide an overview of the Government of Dubai under the guidance of our wise leadership to diversify the energy mix and increase our focus on renewable energy, and based on the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, to reduce dependence on natural gas in energy production from current 99% to 71% by 2030. To achieve this, we welcome the American private sector to partner with us to achieve our goals for renewable energy projects in Dubai,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer during his speech.
“This event will encourage US energy companies to participate in Dubai’s economic growth and provide the latest oil, gas, clean coal, renewable energy, solar power generation, smart grids, efficiency, and conservation technologies. DEWA will invest USD 16.4 billion in the energy and water across Dubai over the next five years, to meet growing demand for electricity and water in the Emirate. This forum also discusses water operations, such as desalination and treatment by utilities, environmental aspects such as waste management, green buildings, carbon dioxide management and emission-reduction solutions, and research and development,” added Al Tayer.
UAE Water Aid also participated in the forum represented by Al Tayer as Chairman of the Board, Waleed Salman and Mohammed Abdulkarim Al Shamsi.
The forum began with an opening speech by David Hamoud, President of NUSACC, who commended DEWA's initiatives and projects and their huge investment opportunities.
Members of the delegation discussed about joint Supreme Council of Energy and DEWA initiatives and projects. They also talked about the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the largest single-site renewable energy projects in the world, with a planned capacity of 3,000MW by 2030, electricity-generating initiatives using photovoltaic panels installed on building roofs, and other projects.
Al Akraf gave presentation about Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2016) to encourage US companies to participate in the next exhibition in Dubai. American companies demonstrated their interest in the event.
Mohammed Abdulkarim Al Shamsi gave a presentation on UAE Water Aid. He urged US companies to participate in the international US$ 1 million prize launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum to find permanent solutions to the problem of water scarcity around the world.
A number of side meetings also took place. The US attendees expressed interest in taking part in DEWA’s projects, particularly those related to renewable energy. They were also encouraged to exchange experiences, information and technology to promote sustainable growth in Dubai.
