Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum launches Demand Efficiency programme, Taqati

(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM)) H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, attended today the launch of the Demand Side Management programme 'Taqati' by the Supreme Council of Energy at an event at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights hotel in Dubai.

The ceremony was also attended by Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Mattar Al Tayer, Director-General and Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of the Roads and Transport Authority, Hussein Lootah, Director General of Dubai Municipality, Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, Mohammed Abdulla Ahli, Director General of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Abdullah Abdul Qader Yousef Al Muaini, Director General of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (ESMA), Ali bin Abdullah Al Owais, Chairman of the Regulatory and Supervisory Bureau (RSB) for electricity and water in Dubai, Saif Humaid Al Falasi, CEO of the Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), and other senior directors and officials from public and private organisations.

"In accordance with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, we gathered today to celebrate this great announcement," said Al Tayer at the launch.

"We are working to achieve the UAE Vision 2021, to transform the UAE into one of the best countries in the world by 2021, and the Dubai Plan 2021, to transform Dubai into a smart, integrated, and connected city that sustainably manages its resources in a healthy and sustainable environment. Dubai is addressing energy security issues, rationalising consumption and enhancing energy efficiency as priorities for sustainable development," said Al Tayer.

"I am pleased to announce the launch of the Demand Side Management programme, which will be managed by Etihad ESCO within the framework of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy. This programme will provide internal consulting and management support to programme owners to address the relevant challenges needed to translate strategy into reality. We are proud of the achievements made by Dubai, and by the UAE as a whole. We are moving forward according to a clear vision for sustainability, while actively developing our future plans and objectives.."

"The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims to diversify Dubai's energy mix and increase the employment of clean energy sources to 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050.

This strategy relies on innovation, and Research and Development (R&D) as the basis for the future of energy, preparing the plans and initiatives to make developments in science and technology. Dubai is the only city in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to launch such a promising strategy, with specific targets and deadlines that outlines the future of energy until 2050," he added.

He added that o support the National Innovation Strategy, launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Dubai Innovation Strategy announced by H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council of Dubai, to make Dubai the most innovative city in the world, "we are committed to supporting innovation in renewable energy, sustainability, and the environment. Demand side management and enhancing energy efficiency are major factors which have been adopted to develop an environment to reduce the carbon footprint per capita, making Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world. The rational use of energy and demand side management are both promising markets."

Al Tayer noted that to date, annual investments in global energy efficiency will reach US$5.8 trillion by 2030. By which point, annual investments in energy efficiency will total approximately USD $385 billion, according to a new report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). These investments will be based around the application of energy efficiency in buildings, with total investments expected to reach USD $125 billion by 2020. This is because buildings are the largest consumers of energy.

"The Demand Side Management Strategy was launched by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy in June 2013. The Executive Committee of the Council is responsible for implementing it. The strategy aims to reduce energy and water demand by 30% by 2030. Demand Side Management focuses on reducing energy demand, the rational use of energy, and the adoption of best international techniques and practices to reduce the consumption of resources, by raising awareness about the practices and techniques to save energy and reduce costs."

" The DSM strategy is built around 9 core programmes that address every facet of our everyday life, making this the most-integrated approach to Demand Side Management globally. The 9 DSM components include: building regulations, building retrofits, district cooling, standards and labels for appliances and equipment, water reuse and efficient irrigation, outdoor lighting, demand response, and the Shams Dubai initiative to regulate the generation of solar energy in buildings," added Al Tayer.

"As of today, I am pleased to announce that 2015 saw the achievement of all targets previously mentioned. Most programmes enabled us to save money, while transitioning from their pilot phase into more extensive phases of implementation. "We implemented resolution number 1 of 2015 by the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy to review and monitor energy demand in government buildings. Government organisations in Dubai have audited energy use in their buildings while others have reviewed their use to assess opportunities for conservation, improve the efficiency of their electricity and water use, and define procedures to meet targets to decrease consumption by 20% by 2020."

He added all the public member companies of the Supreme Council of Energy put procedures in place to conserve energy consumption their buildings. These procedures resulted in saving 164 gigawatts (GW) of electricity, which equates to AED 62 million. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) established Etihad ESCO to boost the model of energy performance contracts by providing financial organisations with the opportunity to invest in energy-efficient projects, aside from green tools and technology suppliers. Financial institutions can become active partners in the sustainable development of Dubai, with plans to retrofit 30,000 buildings to make them energy-efficient.

Al Tayer said the present costs for this strategic project are approximately AED 30 billion, with returns of AED 82 billion and a net present profit of AED 52 billion.

"The Dubai Green Building Regulation Code has achieved remarkable results since its launch in March 2014. At Jebel Ali and Al Awir power stations, DEWA replaced 8,500 indoor and outdoor lights with LED lights, at a cost of AED 20 million. The project will cut electricity use by about 70%, which is equivalent to 14 gigawatt hours per year and AED 6 million annually, with the costs being recouped within 3 years. We are currently working on retrofitting 7 DEWA-owned buildings at total cost AED 15 million, which should save gigawatt hours per year. Costs will be redeemed within 6 years."

" DEWA's Shams Dubai initiative has also achieved outstanding results, the initiative encourages tenants and building owners to install photovoltaic solar panels to generate electricity, and connect them with DEWA's grid. So far, a total of 30 photovoltaic systems have been installed, six of them have been connected to Dubai's electricity network. DEWA is working to connect the other projects," Al Tayer continued.

"Looking at the future, our targets are becoming more ambitious. The challenges we face are those we must all join together to resolve. I believe that through collaboration and teamwork we can achieve our goals and make Dubai the world's leading sustainable city, for us and for generations to come," concluded Al Tayer.

During the event, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum revealed the name of the DSM Manager Demand Efficiency programme, called Taqati. He recognised the relentless efforts and commitment of the DSM Programme Owners afterwards.

The ceremony featured a video presenting the Demand Side Management (DSM) strategy, in addition to a presentation about the important updates and achievements of the Demand Side Management Programme, which was presented by Aref Abou Zahr, Executive Director of Taqati. The event concluded with a Q&A session for the media.