Dubai’s energy demand grows 10% y-on-y in 2021

Dubai’s energy demand grew 10 per cent in 2021 compared to the previous year.

Energy demand in 2021 reached 50,202 gigawatt-hours compared to 45,712 gigawatt-hours in 2020.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) production capacity increased to 13,417 megawatts of electricity and 490 million imperial gallons of desalinated water per day.

In 2020, DEWA reportedly reduced losses in electricity transmission and distribution networks to 3.3 per cent, compared to 6-7 per cent recorded in Europe and the USA.

Water network losses decreased to 5.1 per cent, compared to around 15 per cent in North America.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, announced that energy demand in Dubai increased in 2021 by around 10% compared to 2020. Energy demand in 2021 reached 50,202 gigawatt-hours compared to 45,712 gigawatt-hours in 2020. #DEWANews pic.twitter.com/3FgEoC2A3d

— DEWA | Official Page (@DEWAOfficial) January 24, 2022

DEWA achieved a new world record in electricity Customer Minutes Lost (CML) per year, recording 1.66 minutes in Dubai, compared to around 15 minutes recorded by leading electricity companies in the EU.

“We continue to raise the production capacity of electricity and water as well as increase the capacity and efficiency of the transmission and distribution networks. This is to keep pace with the growing demand for electricity and water as well as future needs of customers, developers and businesses while providing a convenient margin,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA.

Earlier this month, DEWA confirmed that the production capacity of the first project of the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park has increased from 300 megawatts (MW) to 330MW. The 900MW fifth phase, with investments of Dhs2.058bn, is now 60 per cent complete.

Clean energy currently accounts for 11.38 per cent of Dubai’s energy mix, and it will reach 13.3 per cent by Q1 of 2022.