Dubai’s vision to drive economic growth through reliable, clean, efficient and secure energy supply and usage was discussed by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (Dubai SCE) and Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) during an online webinar on energy sustainability in the emirate.

“The collaborative efforts of multiple government and private organisations combine to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Green Mobility Strategy 2030, and the Dubai Demand Side Management Strategy (DSM) 2030, which aims to reduce the demand for electricity and water by 30 per cent by 2030,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

“The Council works on 11 DSM programmes including the Green Building Code; building retrofits to increase energy efficiency; outdoor lighting and efficient cooling. The updated Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 has strengthened the roadmap and scale of previous programmes. It has also integrated Dubai’s vision with the Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy and the Green Mobility Initiative. The updated DSM Strategy 2030 includes new programmes such as Fuel & Engine Efficiency, Efficient Mobility and Smart Charging, Recycled & Ground Water Demand Management, and Consumer Behaviour,” he added.

“The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 will decisively decarbonise the energy mix, reduce the use of fossil fuels in the energy sector by more than 30 per cent compared to the business as usual, BAU, scenario. The strategy will also increase the share of renewable energy to 25 per cent by 2030, and to 75 per cent by 2050.”

“The Council collaborates with major partners in the public and private sector. It also relies on an established governance model to update saving target and monitor progress, to meet Dubai’s ambition in diversifying its energy resources,” said Faisal Ali Rashid, Senior Director of Demand Side Management at Dubai Supreme Council of Energy.

“Etihad ESCO continues to support Dubai’s vision to become one of the most sustainable cities in the world through successful implementation of retrofitting and solar projects across the Emirate. Since 2011, the implementation of DSM programmes has resulted in Dhs6.6 billion savings in operational costs and capital investments, with reduction of 10.3 million metric tonnes of CO2. These numbers indicate that we are on the right track to achieve 30 per cent reduction in energy consumption by 2030,” said Ali Al Jassim, CEO of Etihad Energy Services and Chairman of Emirates Green Building Council, during the webinar.

“Dubai has set a dynamic strategic direction to achieve savings in power and water consumption. The Emirate’s efforts to become a role model to the world in energy security and efficiency through the adoption of prudent strategies and policies have achieved tremendous success. Dubai has set an example for the region and the world,” said Nidal Abou Zaki, Managing Director of Orient Planet Group, the moderator of the session.

Meanwhile the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy issued Directive number 2 for 2020, which includes an update of Green Mobility targets to increase the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in government organisations.

According to the new directive, government organisations in Dubai are required to increase the percentage of hybrid and electric vehicles to at least 10 per cent of their overall annual procurement of vehicles until the end of 2024. This percentage will increase to 20 per cent from 2025 to the end of 2029 and 30 per cent from 2030 onwards. This applies to both purchased and leased vehicles.

“In line with 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 accelerate the shift towards a green economy for Dubai to become the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050, the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai launched the Dubai Green Mobility initiative in 2015 to encourage the use of sustainable transportation, such as hybrid or electric vehicles, to help reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector, which is the second-highest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions in Dubai.

The Council’s new directive to increase the percentage of electric and hybrid vehicles in government organisations will make them role models for other organisations in increasing the use of environmentally-friendly vehicles. This supports the Smart Dubai initiative, which aims to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world; and the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy to reduce the emissions in the transport sector,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai.

WAM/Agencies