Dubai has unveiled Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 which aims to provide Dubai’s energy from clean energy sources 75 percent by 2050.
By 2020 the country aims to provide 7 percent of Dubai’s energy from clean energy sources. This will increase to 25 percent by 2030. Currently the corresponding figure is just 1 percent.
Solar energy will account for 25 percent of the emirate’s power requirements, whereas nuclear will account for 7 percent, and clean coal and gas will account for 7 percent 61 percent respectively.
The program also includes the development of a new free zone aimed at attracting research and development centers and emerging companies in clean energy, and also establishing a Dh100 billion Dubai Green Fund with the goal of becoming the city with the smallest carbon footprint in the world by 2050.
Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 program is expected to result in $13.6 billion worth of new solar investments, a statement from MESIA said.
The investment will come from two sources: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) plans to install 5000MW of solar PV at the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park by 2030. Once completed this will become the largest solar park in the world.
At the same time, the government will push for solar panels to be installed on the roofs of all buildings in Dubai by 2030. Considering that there are some 115,000 buildings in Dubai this is expected to result in some 1,500MW of solar rooftop capacity. The total value is of these rooftop solar systems is $2 billion, according to MESIA’s calculations.
To help building owners cushion the burden of the high upfront costs of these rooftop systems the government will put in place the $27 billion Dubai Green Fund which will provide low-cost loans for investors in the solar rooftop sector.
The spike in commercial solar activity is expected to be centered in a new free zone called the Dubai Green Zone (DGZ). The DGZ will house solar energy companies from around the world.
The DGZ will also include an Innovation Centre which will be built using 3D printing technology. The Innovation Centre will feature R&D centers specialized in the next generation of clean energy technologies. Roughly $150 million will be invested in R&D in areas such as integration of smart grids, energy efficiency and electricity generation from solar energy.
MESIA expects Dubai to become the city with lowest carbon footprint in the world once these measures are fully deployed.
Rajani Baburajan