DEWA’s new sustainability report shows its urge to promote green economy

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has released its 8th annual Sustainability Report 2020, which focuses on DEWA’s commitment and efforts to promote United Nations sustainability goals in its social, economic, and environmental aspects.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are achieved through implementing best international practices as well as long-term, integrated systems that assure value-added services meeting stakeholders’ expectations. This highlights the importance of the SDGs as an integral aspect of DEWA’s strategy, and the annual report is part of its attempts to promote Dubai’s role as a global hub for sustainability and a green economy.

According to the report, DEWA continued its sustainability projects in 2020, despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is one of DEWA’s most important projects. It is the world’s largest single-site solar park built on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. By 2030, it will have a capacity of 5,000MW and will eliminate carbon emissions by nearly 6.5 million tons per year.

DEWA also launched the Research and Development Centre at the Solar Park in 2020. It continues to strengthen and increase the efficiency of its water network and has achieved one of the lowest water losses of 5.1 percent.

“DEWA strives to achieve the sustainability goals in the long run, in line with the UN 17 SDGs 2030, and it’s vision to become a globally leading sustainable innovative corporation. DEWA works to achieve the vision and directives of the wise leadership to build a more sustainable environment and find long-term solutions for challenges. The report is a reliable, useful, and transparent reference for DEWA’s achievements and efforts over a full year to achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071 to make the UAE the world’s leading nation.” 

DEWA effectively handled its $10.9 billion of strategic projects to assure business continuity, based on its strategy of collaborating with nearly 20,000 employees of suppliers, contractors, and other companies. DEWA worked with the Dubai Health Authority to conduct tests for suppliers and contractors and establish quarantine centers to assure the progress of the project.

Among the projects is the hydroelectric power station at Hatta that will generate electricity from the water stored at the dam, with a total investment of $381 million.

The report was developed based on the guidelines of several international standards, including the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the principles of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), which is the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative. The report is also in line with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.

Related: DEWA’s UN SDGs commitment pays off as Dubai’s CO2 emission lowers