By : Nahla Makled

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised the 4^th Sustainability Leadership Conference virtually, in collaboration with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL).  This is part of DEWA’s Virtual Sustainability Week. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, inaugurated the conference, which brought together a large number of sustainability experts and specialists.

The conference discussed several topics related to sustainability: recovering from crises, economic and social resilience in fighting COVID-19, lessons learned from business leaders, and a masterclass in innovation, in addition to panel discussions with prominent leaders, experts and specialists.

In his opening speech, Al Tayer said that the conference, organised in collaboration with the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, is part of the shared vision of DEWA and CISL to consolidate the concept of sustainability. Al Tayer commended the CISL team for their continuous collaboration and especially thanked Dame Polly Courtice for her great efforts since the establishment of the Institute over 30 years ago. Today, it is a global platform for excellence in sustainability.

“Organising the conference during DEWA’s Virtual Sustainability Week is part of our ongoing efforts to support the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to balance economic development with the environment. We are guided by this vision to launch initiatives that make sustainable achievements. As we have learned from our wise leadership, we strive to turn challenges into promising opportunities. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, DEWA continued to implement its sustainable projects and initiatives in line with its plan to increase the share of clean and renewable energy. This supports the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. We also employ digital transformation, smart grids, and the disruptive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution,” said Al Tayer.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA is currently implementing key strategic clean and renewable projects, including the 4^th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned capacity of 5,000 megawatts by 2030. When completed, the solar park will reduce 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions a year. The 950MW 4^th phase uses both Concentrated Solar Power and photovoltaic technologies and will have the largest thermal energy storage capacity in the world. DEWA is also implementing the 900MW 5th phase of the solar park with photovoltaic solar panels, as well as the 250MW pumped-storage power station in Hatta, which is the first of its kind in the region. In 2020, DEWA inaugurated major solar power projects including the 800MW 3^rd phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This phase has increased clean energy capacity’s share in Dubai to 9%, exceeding the targets of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to provide 7% by 2020. We also inaugurated the Innovation Centre and the Research & Development Centre in the solar park. Both projects will contribute to promoting the UAE’s position in clean and renewable energy.

“In recognition of its efforts in sustainability, DEWA received several local and international prestigious awards, including the European Foundation for Quality Management’s UN Sustainable Development Goals Challenge 2021. DEWA completely eliminated its paper use and received the 100% Paperless Stamp from Smart Dubai. DEWA’s adoption of the latest technologies has helped it to prevent using over 22 million pieces of paper in 2020. This made financial savings of over AED 85 million, as well as saving 2,700 trees that would have been used to produce this. DEWA also works to increase the efficiency of its power and water plants. It has recorded one of the lowest water losses in the world of 5.1%. We continue to innovate unique experiences that support Dubai’s progress in shaping the future by reworking the traditional concepts of work mechanisms to match rapid global changes,” added Al Tayer.

“I am sure this conference will significantly add to our joint efforts to share experiences and best practices in sustainability, contributing to economic, social, and environmental development, both in the UAE and around the world,” concluded Al Tayer.

“This CEO Forum couldn’t come at a more important time as we emerge from the pandemic into a critical decade for action. The title says it all: we need resilience and sustainability at a time of transformation. This Forum aims to inspire those leaders across sectors who can shape, inspire and enable the future we want,” said Dame Polly Courtice DBE, LVO, Director, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, said that DEWA always works to consolidate a culture of sustainability among its staff, in line with its vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation. DEWA achieved globally competitive results in the Sustainability Culture Indicator, with 91.2% in 2020. This is the highest score since DEWA started conducting this study in 2014.