Dubai Sees Reduced Energy And Water Demand In 2013

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) said that it has recorded a reduction in water and power demand through a series of initiatives, which aims to cut energy demand by 30 per cent by 2030.

Dubai’s annual per capita consumption of electricity fell to 15,346 KW in 2013 compared to 16,022 KW in 2010- a 4.2 per cent drop, DEWA said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the emirate’s annual per capita consumption rate of water reduced by 8.6 per cent to 40,777 gallons in 2013 from 44,631 gallons in 2010.

“According to the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, achieving energy efficiency is fundamental to reducing energy demand,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“This will help to reduce our reliance on natural resources, reduce our carbon footprint and protect the environment. We can build on this in the short- to medium term and realise the results in the long-term, and for generations to come.”

He added that DEWA was implementing the strategy for energy demand management, which was formulated by the Supreme Council of Energy.

Some of the energy demand management programmes under the Supreme Council include specifications and regulations for green construction, retrofitting the existing buildings, district cooling, wastewater reuse, regulations to raise the standards and efficiency of devices and lighting, and working with private companies to retrofit 30,000 buildings in Dubai.

As part of its efforts to stem power and water consumption, DEWA also launched a new company called Etihad ESCO, Al Tayer said.

The UAE’s demand for power alone is predicted to grow by nine per cent to exceed 40,000 megawatts by 2020, according to the country’s energy minister.

The country’s average energy consumption rate is three times that of international standards, Suhail Bin Mohammed Faraj Faris Al Mazrouei, said at a conference last year.

The Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 aims to diversify the energy mix so that by 2030, the total power output of Dubai will come from natural gas (71 per cent), nuclear (12 per cent), clean coal (12 per cent), and solar energy (five per cent). This strategy also aims to reduce demand by 30 per cent.

The Gulf region has been seeing a steep growth in energy demand owing to its burgeoning population and increasing industrial demand.

This has in turn resulted in a call for change in energy policies across the GCC states to foster sustainable production.