Dewa, Huawei summit discusses digital transformation
Event attended by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer and Huawei Middle East President Steven Yi
Dubai: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) and Huawei have organised their second strategic summit titled ‘Accelerating Carbon Neutrality’.
The forum discussed several topics focusing on digital transformation strategies in the energy sector, green infrastructure and smart grids, in addition to sharing best practices in net-zero carbon emissions.
The summit was attended by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dewa; Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East; experts and specialists from both sides, and several Dewa employees. The summit was held at Dewa Campus for Occupational and Academic Development in Al Hudaiba, Dubai.
In his keynote speech, Al Tayer noted that the summit was part of the strategic partnership between the two sides. The partnership has resulted in major achievements over the past years in digital transformation, exchanging best international solutions, experiences and practices, especially in innovation, disruptive technologies, smart grids, digital transformation, automation, cloud platforms, Artificial Intelligence, data security, and big data management, among others.
“We are pleased that this summit focuses on innovative solutions in low-carbon energy production. The UAE has made great strides in using clean and renewable energy as an essential pillar of sustainability, under the wise leadership of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai. The UAE is also pioneering efforts to adopt the latest innovations to mitigate the effects of climate change and global warming, as well as supporting the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals,” Al Tayer said.
He added, “As part of our efforts to support the vision of the wise leadership to make the UAE government the first in the world in AI investments in various sectors, we are working on upgrading our services to enhance the UAE’s position as a global hub for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Dewa’s plans are aligned with the most promising government strategies and plans, including the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031, which aims to develop an integrated system that employs AI in key areas in the UAE; the UAE Strategy for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, to strengthen the UAE’s position as a global hub towards achieving a competitive national economy that is based on knowledge, innovation, and future technological applications; and the Dubai 10X initiative, which mandates the Government of Dubai to lead the way to the future and make Dubai 10 years ahead of other cities through government innovation and redefining the traditional work mechanisms. Dewa’s application of the latest innovative technologies has helped it achieve the best results globally compared to top utilities in Europe and the USA.”
Al Tayer emphasised that Dewa places innovation as a cornerstone of its work across all Dewa’s divisions. As part of Digital Dewa, its digital arm, Dewa is disrupting the entire business of public utilities and contributing to building a new digital future for Dubai. Digital Dewa is based on four pillars: launching advanced solar power technologies; deploying a renewable energy grid with innovative energy storage technologies; expanding and integrating AI solutions to make Dubai the first city to provide electricity and water services using AI technologies and digital services.
“We also use big data with sensors in solar power stations to gather real-time data on solar radiation and analyse it in conjunction with data from Dewa’s satellites to improve solar power generation. In this context, Dewa launched its space programme (Space-D) to enhance operational efficiency. In January 2022, we launched Dewa-SAT 1, a 3U nanosatellite. Dewa is the first utility in the world to use nanosatellites in its operations, and we aim to share our pioneering experiences in this field with other utilities. Later this year, we will also launch a 6U nanosatellite,” he noted.
“Our achievements are supported by a futuristic vision, long-term plans and resilience to keep pace with changes and prepare for all developments. We will continue our accomplishments to always stay at the forefront and achieve the UAE Centennial 2071 to make the UAE the world’s leading nation by its Centennial in 2071. In conclusion, I thank Huawei for their efforts in organising this summit,” concluded Al Tayer.
Steven Yi, President of Huawei Middle East, said, ‘’We are proud and honoured to have maintained a long-lasting strategic partnership with Dewa as together we have achieved a significant milestone in digital transformation, innovative technology cooperation and smart grids over the years. We will continue to provide Dewa with Huawei’s global expertise and innovative ICT solutions that support their plans to achieve net-zero carbon emissions. At Huawei, we remain committed to support our partners in their digital transformation efforts and further contribute to Dubai’s sustainable development strategies and strengthening the UAE’s global leading position in driving a digitally-led economy in the region.”