Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has made a significant leap in improving the efficiency of electricity and water production in 2024, achieving a 43.61% increase compared to 2006. This advancement has led to a cumulative reduction of 104 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions between 2006 and 2024 — the equivalent of planting 527 million trees to absorb the same amount of CO₂.
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, emphasized that this efficiency milestone has also delivered considerable financial savings for the organization.
“In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we support the proactive path established by the UAE to achieve net zero by 2050 and the implementation of the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030.
We aim to consolidate Dubai's global position in climate action by transforming challenges into opportunities. We benefit from sustainable economic growth offered by climate action and improving electricity and water production efficiency. DEWA's world-leading projects contribute to efforts to achieve the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of the Emirate’s energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. These projects further support sustainable development and global ambitions to ensure that the rise in global temperature does not exceed 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, so that everyone enjoys a more sustainable and greener future,” said Al Tayer.
Nasser Lootah, Executive Vice President of Generation (Power & Water) at DEWA, highlighted the organization’s ongoing commitment to technological advancement and innovation.
“We place great emphasis on enhancing the efficiency of electricity and water production through innovation and continuous upgrades to our production plants, as well as the deployment of cutting-edge technologies across all our facilities and projects. DEWA regularly develops operation and maintenance modes to enhance efficiency further,” he said.
DEWA relies on co-generation technology for the production of electricity and water. It utilizes heat recovery steam generators to capture waste heat from gas turbines, which is then used to produce additional electricity and supply thermal energy for the desalination process. Its water desalination plants operate through an advanced hybrid system that combines technologies like multi-stage flashing and seawater reverse osmosis. This integrated approach ensures high efficiency throughout the plant lifecycle while minimizing operational costs.
Additionally, DEWA works closely with original equipment manufacturers to upgrade gas turbines, enhancing their efficiency, reliability, and overall performance.
