DEWA invests AED 278 million in sustainable water security for Dubai

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) wants to ensure the safety and sustainability of water in Dubai.

This is in line with DEWAcommitment to this national priority and to the achievement of the sixth objective of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, ‘Ensure the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.’ DEWA is committed to creating a positive impact that ensures resource sustainability and a better future for current and future generations. This is especially important in light of the growing global water crisis.

In line with Dubai’s unprecedented economic growth, significant population growth and constantly increasing demand for water, DEWA is building water production plants based on Seawater Reverse Osmosis technology. These plants require less energy than multi-stage flash distillation plants, making them a more sustainable option for water desalination. By 2030, DEWA Its goal is to produce 100% desalinated water using clean energy and waste heat. DEWA’s total production capacity has reached 490 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) of desalinated water, including 63 MIGD through reverse osmosis.

“DEWA is guided by the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, to improve water supply in Dubai from sustainable sources and achieve the Water Strategy. Dubai Clean Energy 2050 and the Dubai Strategy 2050. Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of Dubai’s total electricity capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

“DEWA has a comprehensive approach to ensuring the sustainability of water resources in line with the Dubai Integrated Water Resources Management Strategy 2030, which focuses on improving water resources and utilizing cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions.”

saying HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA.

“DEWA adopts three pillars to ensure the sustainability of water production. They are based on the use of clean solar energy to desalinate seawater using Reverse Osmosis technologies, which use less energy than MSF plants. Excess water is stored in aquifers and pumped back into the water network when needed. This innovative integrated model protects the environment and is a sustainable economic solution. It also emphasizes Dubai’s ability to anticipate and shape the future.

We guarantee 100% continued availability of DEWA services in accordance with the world’s highest levels of availability, reliability, efficiency and sustainability thanks to our state-of-the-art infrastructure. DEWA is based on innovation, the latest tools to anticipate the future, sound scientific planning and smooth, fast and efficient operation of the smart grid. DEWA has achieved competitive results that surpass leading European and American companies in terms of efficiency and reliability. In 2022, water network losses have been reduced to 4.5% compared to around 15% in North America.”

aggregate Al Tayer.

Watter deposits

The water reservoirs we are building help increase water flow and raise the volume of the Emirate’s water reserve to meet growing demand and increase the efficiency and reliability of water networks to support the sustainable development of Dubai. The storage capacity is currently 882 MIG. The Lusaily area water reservoir in Dubai has a storage capacity of 60 million imperial gallons (MIG), along with the existing one, which stores 120 MIG of desalinated water. DEWA is working on three other reservoir projects in Nakhali, Hassyan and Hatta. With the completion of these projects, the storage capacity will increase to 1,152 MIG of desalinated water.

The largest solar-powered desalination plant in the world

DEWAThe Hassyan desalination project based on the Independent Water Producer (IWP) model is the largest of its kind in the world for the production of water based on Seawater Reverse Osmosis technology using solar energy. It is DEWA’s first IWP model project. The 180 million imperial gallons per day seawater reverse osmosis project has an investment of AED 3,357 million ($914 million). Its capacity will increase to 670 MIGD in 2027 with the completion of this project.

The largest single-site water desalination facility in the world

DEWAThe Jebel Ali Power and Desalination Complex is the largest single-site water desalination facility in the world, with a production capacity of 490 MIGD, equivalent to 2,227,587 cubic meters per day.

SCADA systems

In 2023, DEWA launched its third phase of the Monitoring, Control and Data Acquisition Center for water transmission and distribution at the Al Ruwaiyah BMC building. This is part of its efforts to achieve digital transformation using cutting-edge operational technology, including real-time hydraulic modeling, training simulation system and advanced reporting tools.

This allows you to monitor the water network in Dubai remotely 24 hours a day, including water transmission pipelines, pumping stations and reservoirs that stretch over 3,000 kilometers. This has been achieved by installing more than 10,000 smart devices.

DEWA It is currently implementing District Metering Areas (DMAs) at the distribution level and periodically expanding the transmission network and key distribution assets.

Smart grid strategy

The Smart Grid being implemented by DEWA, ​​with a total investment of AED 7 billion, is an integral part of DEWA’s strategy to develop next-generation infrastructure to manage facilities and services according to intelligent and integrated systems using disruptive technologies and the Fourth Industry. Revolutionary applications. These include AI, drones, blockchain technology, Internet of Things, and more. The Smart Grid is one of the key success factors of smart cities, as it guarantees the fluidity and availability of integrated and connected services 24 hours a day.

The Smart Grid ensures two-way communication between the utility and the customer and allows monitoring of various components of the electricity and water networks. Smart Grid will provide advanced features including automated decision-making and interoperability across the electricity and water network to ensure smooth, fast and efficient operation.

DEWA Smart grid strategy 2021 – 2035 includes six main themes: Fundamental Capabilities; Network automation; Smart Energy Solutions and Green Mobility; Smart water; Artificial Intelligence from Smart Grids; and innovative value-added services.

Smart meters

Smart meters are the backbone of the smart grid and one of the pillars of DEWAThe digital transformation. They increase operational efficiency and reduce losses. All active traditional electricity and water meters in Dubai have been converted into smart meters. Smart meters provide many advantages to customers to control their consumption proactively and digitally without having to contact DEWA. DEWA’s Smart Meter Diagnostic and Analysis Center monitors smart meters remotely every 15 minutes.

Leading programs and initiatives

As part of the smart grid strategy, DEWA has launched several pioneering programs and initiatives, including the Smart Grid Data Governance Platform, to ensure compliance with all data policies and procedures. This ensures best practices in accountability, decision-making structure, data management and administration. The Smart Grid Data Governance platform manages data as an asset and defines and approves data strategies, policies, standards, procedures and metrics.

Among the programs launched by DEWA Under the smart grid umbrella is an Automatic Smart Grid Restoration System, the first of its kind in the MENA region, to increase control, management and monitoring of its power grid. The system works 24 hours a day without human intervention. It uses an intelligent, innovative and central system that locates the fault in the electrical network, isolates it and automatically restores service. This improves network automation, fault detection, and connection recovery.

In 2022, DEWA launched the Big Data and Analytics platform to integrate smart grid applications and operational technologies, among others. This enables the processing of large amounts of data and provides fact-based analysis and forecasts for current and future projects. The platform contributes to improving operations and management of assets and smart meters, thus improving the experience of stakeholders and boosting their happiness.

He ‘High water usage alert‘The service, supported by the smart grid, detects any leaks in water connections after the meter. The smart meter system sends instant notifications to the customers if the smart meter system detects any unusual increase in consumption, so that they can quickly repair the internal connections, or any leak in the water connections with the help of a specialized technician, and make necessary repairs. Maintenance work to reduce waste.

News source: Dubai Press Office