The Research and Development (R&D) Centre by the state-owned utility service provider, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park has reportedly welcomed six high-level international delegations in the first quarter of 2022.
The visits made by the Delegates were instrumental in sharing the learnings about DEWA’s efforts in energy, water, green hydrogen, smart grid, space technologies, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution applications.
The various delegations who have paid a visit to DEWA’s R&D Centre include but are not limited to;
HE Hage Geingob, President of Namibia and Namibia’s First Lady, as well as several ministers in Namibia
HE Sarah Al Amiri, UAE Minister of State for Public Education and Advanced Technology
H.E. Antonio López-Istúriz White, President of the UAE-EU Parliamentary Friendship Group at the European Parliament
HE Grace Fu, Minister of Sustainability and Environment in Singapore along with Mr. Kamal R Vaswani, Ambassador of Singapore to the UAE and a high-level delegation from Singapore
HE Patricia de Lille, Minister of Public Works & Infrastructure in South Africa and officials from South Africa
HE Jose Luis Acero, Vice Minister of Water and Sanitation in Colombia
The delegation from the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI)
The delegation from the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
The delegation from the Khalifa University in the UAE; and
the State of Bavaria in Germany, among others.
While welcoming the visits by the official delegations to the R&D Centre, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, highlighted the Authority’s commitment to exchanging expertise in research and development with ministries and organizations worldwide in renewable and clean energy, water, environmental sustainability, and other areas of common interest.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer MD & CEO – DEWA
“Through the R&D Centre, DEWA develops the disruptive technologies of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to provide world-class services to enhance the quality of life in Dubai as well as develop the research and development sector in the UAE and support it with qualified Emiratis. We also aim to support the scientific community in the UAE and the world by spreading knowledge and nurturing Emirati talents, as well as enhance DEWA’s position at the forefront of utilities worldwide. The R&D Centre, through its pioneering projects and qualitative partnerships and innovations, supports DEWA’s vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation.”
Mr. Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, explained that the R&D Centre focuses on four major operational areas;
Electricity Generation from Solar and Clean Energy
Integration of Smart Grids
Energy Efficiency and
Water
The R&D Centre’s internal labs study and test system reliability, and it carries out external field testing of new technologies and equipment, including the performance and reliability of solar photovoltaic panels and removing dust.
Dr. Ali Rashid Al Aleeli, Vice President – Research and Development, Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, highlighted that the R&D Centre is the only research center in the UAE that focuses on renewable energy, smart grid technologies, and energy efficiency.
The facility has the largest and most comprehensive solar testing and certification facility in the UAE. It operates the longest continuous testing of photovoltaic panels in the UAE in desert climate conditions.
