DEWA’s Smart Solutions: Energizing Dubai’s Future with Sustainability

DEWA was the result of the merger of the two organizations the Dubai Electricity Company and the Dubai Water Department-which were established by Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who was then the ruler of the emirate. The firms produced electricity and water for the constantly growing population of the Emirate of Dubai. Over the decades of change, DEWA has evolved into an ultra-modern utility service supporting the rapid urbanization and economic growth in Dubai.

Today, DEWA works with over 11,700 employees who help ensure 915,623 customers get electricity and 816,580 customers get water. Its mission is, as always quite simple: to provide people in Dubai with a reliable, efficient, and sustainable supply of both electricity and water.

DEWA was started as a conventional gas-fired power plant, but now the company is still leading the renewable energy options in Dubai specifically on its solar power efforts. One of the most high-profile projects is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is regarded as the largest single-site solar energy project in the world, with a planned capacity of 5GW. The solar park set many records on issues concerning cost efficiency, and by itself, it forms an international model for the development of solar energy. The history of the solar park dates back to when a 13MW solar plant was installed in 2013. In 2015, DEWA, in partnership with ACWA Power, signed a second phase of the contract worth 200MW. Thereafter, the third phase of an 800MW solar plant was completed and commissioned in 2020. The phased expansion of this solar park is indicative of DEWA’s commitment to increasing clean energy supply and reducing carbon footprints in Dubai.

Of late, the company is developing a 250 MW pumped storage hydroelectricity project in Hatta, utilizing water from the dam, which is already in place, to be an energy storage solution in support of Dubai’s renewable energy mix.

While working towards its ambitious agenda on sustainability, DEWA has been actively participating in Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which envisions providing 75 percent of Dubai’s energy through clean sources by mid-century. This is fully aligned with Dubai’s overall strategy of being the world’s center for green economy and innovation. Its forward vision transcends simple clean energy generation; it is a developer, engaged in smart grid development, as part of achieving efficiency by ensuring energy is reliable and delivered through real time monitoring and control. By bringing in the class technologies, DEWA ensures that the energy infrastructure in Dubai in itself is future-proofed for the next wave of urban growth and development.

DEWA has covered tremendous distances in the financial plane. DEWA registered its highest-ever net profit at AED 8 billion during the year 2022. This kind of financial success has propelled the company toward its next milestone: an initial public offering.

The state-owned power and water utility in Dubai plans to float 18% of its issued share capital in the Dubai Financial Market (DFM), which may make it one of the biggest in the region. With an estimated value of $22.6 billion, the IPO will reflect the strength of DEWA’s business model and the critical role the company is playing in the local economy. The proposal also aptly fits the general vision of Dubai in reinforcing the role of public companies and more efficiently nurturing its capital markets.

Dubai, in its own way, thus marks DEWA’s journey from the early days of convention power generation to solar energy and smart infrastructure. It has certainly been able to understand the needs of Dubai city and adapt to that continuously, thereby maintaining its services as reliable, affordable, and sustainable in nature. DEWA perfectly represents the noble aim of being one of the world’s most sustainable cities and will give a necessary view in the quest for the world to move ahead with the growth of renewable energy and investment in innovations. Through innovations, strategic investments, and relentless focus on customer satisfaction, DEWA is powering Dubai’s future.

As the world shifts toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources, DEWA’s responsibility will grow more in the near future. From the majestic Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to pioneering smart infrastructure, the work of DEWA makes the city of Dubai shine as an example of how to build a sustainable, thriving, and innovative city for the future.