Dubai: The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has urged Dubai residents to install solar panels on the roofs of their premises in order to take advantage of Shams Dubai project.
The call comes following the success and the great adoption rate the initiative has achieved since its launch.
Shams Dubai encourages Dewa customers to install solar panels on the roofs of their premises to generate electricity from solar panels and export any excess to the power grid.
This is part of Dewa’s effort to promote Dubai’s sustainable development goal, and support national efforts to increase reliance on clean energy.
“Shams Dubai gives Dubai’s residents the opportunity to transform their buildings into sustainable ones, while reducing the emirate’s carbon footprint, and increase the proportion of solar power in Dubai’s environment-friendly energy mix,” said Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa.
According to Dubai sustainable goals, Dubai aims to generate seven per cent of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2020, 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050.
“Shams Dubai allows customers to avoid using very expensive power storage systems by connecting the photovoltaic panels to the network. Furthermore, the surplus power will be exported to Dewa’s grid, which will be deducted from the customers’ future bill,” added Al Tayer.
Apart from providing those direct benefits to electricity customers, and increasing the value of buildings where solar photovoltaic systems are installed, Shams Dubai has been instrumental in the development of solar industry in Dubai and supports the long-term Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative.
So far, 1,032 buildings have taken part in Shams Dubai initiative, with a total capacity of 43.77 megawatts (MW).
The aim is to increase the participation in the future to eventually cover all buildings in the emirate by 2030.
“Dewa has outlined easy steps to install photovoltaic systems on buildings to generate solar power as part of the Shams Dubai initiative. The installation process starts with the customer contacting one of the solar consultants or contractors accredited by Dewa to study the possibility of installing the solar power system and suggesting the best solution. The consultant or contractor then obtains the necessary approvals from Dewa,” said Al Tayer.
Dewa has also launched Shams Dubai Calculator on its website to support customers who want to install solar panels on rooftops, by providing detailed comparisons and additional information, using innovative tools.
