State-owned utility service provider, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has enhanced integration between different energy resources in its smart grid through its Virtual Power Plant (VPP), the first of its kind in the region.
The first phase has aggregated the Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) operated by DEWA’s R&D Centre and managed them as a single mixed portfolio of generation and load connected to the grid, according to the statement.
The Virtual Power Plant is an advanced technology based on aggregation, orchestration, Artificial Intelligence (AI) based forecasting, and optimization to integrate various types of DERs to support DEWA’s smart grid.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer MD & CEO – DEWA
“We use research and development to explore and shape the future of the energy sector and make Dubai a smart and sustainable city. Following DEWA’s vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation, we strive to shape the future of energy locally, regionally, and globally by keeping pace with the Fourth Industrial Revolution and adopting innovative disruptive technologies. Our strategies and plans align with federal and local strategies to support economic growth and develop innovative and sustainable clean energy solutions. We have strategic partnerships with global companies and organizations in integrating renewable energy and distributed generation in the electricity grid, the Internet of Things (IoT), using AI in energy production units, energy efficiency, cybersecurity, robotics, and smart buildings. These partnerships aim to build national capacities in the energy sector.”
Mr. Al Tayer further noted that the VPP increases renewable energy integration capabilities. This supports DEWA’s efforts to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 percent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.
The total flexibility provided by the VPP in this pilot project is approximately 3.3 MW. DEWA’s next step is to identify and aggregate similar sites to provide additional flexibility to operate DEWA’s grid more efficiently and reliably.
“Through its VPP, DEWA has integrated the following DERs: Electric Vehicles with a total consumption of 132 kW; Battery Energy Storage Sodium Sulfur (NaS) and Lithium Iron Li+ of a total capacity of 2.4 MW, 8 MWh; Chiller system at the R&D Centre representing flexible loads of total power consumption of 390 kW; Outdoor Testing Facility at R&D Centre with 12 kW PV Inverter; Residential PV inverters of 9kW; a Smart Grid Station with PV Solar inverter of 200kW; Battery Energy Storage of 120kW; and EV charging stations with 44kW,” commented Mr. Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA.
