Dewa launches DEWAVerse platform on Metaverse

Gulf Today, Staff Reporter

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has launched its ‘DEWAVerse’ platform on the Metaverse and became the 1st local government organisation to launch its platform on the Metaverse to provide its services to customers, employees, and members of the society.

Dewa invests in Metaverse technology to implement and develop its current and future projects, which contributes towards stakeholder happiness, the development of business, enhancing efficiency and production, and reducing costs.

This was announced during Dewa’s Digital Transformation Steering Committee Meeting, where McKinsey also attended and presented the Digital Quotient Assessment 2022 report, highlighting that Dewa has maintained its position as a global digital leader in utilities.

 “At Dewa, we strive to enhance our use of the Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including the Metaverse, which is a key pillar and a new method of work in all vital sectors, to harness this technology to find new opportunities and provide innovative solutions that accelerate growth to enhance Dubai’s position regionally and globally," said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa 

"This helps achieve 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 benefit from the digital technologies and artificial intelligence to promote performance and improve people’s quality of life. This also boosts the Dubai Metaverse Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, that aims to turn Dubai into one of the world’s top 10 metaverse economies as well as a global hub for the metaverse community, to enhance its success in this field,” said  Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

During the meeting, seven projects using Metaverse technology were reviewed.

These include the Customer Service Centre, the 1st of its kind locally, which enables customers to communicate with the Customer Care Center agents to answer their inquiries and complete transactions in the virtual world.

Dewa Workplace enables users to move around the Dewa buildings and hold meetings in the virtual world. Dewa Future Lab enables users to hold brainstorming sessions, discuss challenges and develop the best solutions using innovation tools in the virtual world.

The First Aid and Fire Safety introduces first aid and fire safety procedures virtually. MetaDrone gathers information on solar panels, fix them, and generate reports using VR. Dewa Onboarding allows new employees to learn about Dewa vision and mission virtually.

Dewa was one of the first government entities in Dubai to complete the smart transformation of all its services by 100% in 2014.

Dewa’s key milestones in its journey include adopting Google Glasses in 2014, which constituted a new shift in the quality of services provided.

The app was specifically designed to suit the needs of Dewa to monitor any malfunctions at its stations. In 2016, Dewa adopted the HoloLens Technology from Microsoft, to enhance its operations and improve productivity.

Dewa was the first government organisation to adopt this technology in electricity and water services. Dewa also started using the Smart Helmet & Smart Glasses (DAQRI) in 2017, which works with virtual reality technology to support engineers in power plants.

Dewa organised the 22nd Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show (DSS) in 2020 through a virtual 3D platform, for the first time in the MENA region. The exhibition enabled visitors and exhibitors to participate without the need to travel. In addition, Dewa provided a virtual Reality Studio and Self-Service for its employees.

The studio provides Dewa’s employees with simulated training on first aid, safety procedures and fire prevention, an overview of Dewa, its projects, strategy, and the services it provides to employees and customers.

In 2021, Dewa also launched a Virtual Reality Generation, production and distribution project for energy and water, which provides a 3D experience of 132/11 kV substations, an interactive training test and a simulation and visualisation model for several devices and equipment in the distribution network. In 2022, Dewa launched a Digital Guide and Virtual Orientation tour at its Innovation Centre at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, using augmented reality.