By : Wael Elhosany

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)’s Research and Development (R&D) Centre published four research papers on space in 2022 in several international scientific conferences, peer-reviewed journals and periodicals. The papers are titled: ‘Adaptive Technique for LoRa Communication with LEO Nanosatellite’, ‘Design and Performance Analysis of LoRa Internet of Things (IoT) Terminal for Multi-vendor Satellite Constellation’, ‘Evaluating Direct Link IoT-LoRa Communication Via LEO Nanosatellite: DEWA-SAT1’, and ‘Link Margin Assessment for DEWA-SAT1 Based on LoRa Communication’.

H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, praised the efforts of the researchers at the R&D Centre, who have succeeded in a short period in strengthening DEWA’s global leadership, by innovating advanced technologies, developing niche use cases applied to electricity and water production, as well as transmission and distribution systems. This improves the management of the power grid and water transmission and distribution networks. The research papers help deliver Emirati research projects to international academia. This raises performance indicators in scientific research in the UAE and enriches the scientific community in Dubai, the UAE, and the world. Al Tayer noted that DEWA’s nanosatellite DEWA-SAT1 was designed and developed at the Centre, which have made DEWA the world’s first utility to use nanosatellites to enhance the maintenance and planning of electricity and water networks. The Centre has also developed and built DEWA’s independent Ground Station, which can track and communicate with DEWA’s satellites at their low Earth orbit of 400-700 kilometres.

“Through the Centre, we seek to contribute effectively to achieving the wise leadership vision to build a distinguished and sustainable space sector, making the UAE a major global destination in space science and projects. This enhances the country’s competitiveness at various levels, supports the process of sustainable development and the transition to the green economy, in addition to building human resources and highly qualified Emirati calibre in the fields of space and future shaping,” added Al Tayer.

“Space research is one of the Centre’s research areas, including solar power, smart grid integration, energy efficiency and water. It also focuses on the Fourth Industrial Revolution applications. Space research aims to support DEWA with high efficiency, low-cost remote sensing and operations using satellites, and ground station capabilities,” said Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA.