Dubai: Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), recently hosted a high-level delegation from Shell, led by Fakher Bader, the Country Chair for Iraq and the UAE. The meeting aimed to explore collaborations in advancing clean energy and the green economy.
According to Emirates News Agency, the Shell delegation included Geraldine Wessing, Chief Political Analyst – Strategy Insights and Scenarios, and Hessa Abdulla, MENA Media Lead. The discussion focused on Shell’s report, “The 2025 Energy Security Scenarios: Energy and Artificial Intelligence,” which examines the impact of AI on global energy systems through three pathways: Archipelagos, Horizon, and Surge. These scenarios serve as strategic tools for decision-making, helping stakeholders anticipate challenges, assess risks, and identify opportunities in the evolving energy landscape. The meeting also explored potential synergies for promoting a circular and green economy.
Al Tayer presented DEWA’s pioneering clean energy projects, notably the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the world’s largest single-site solar park based on the independent power producer model. The park currently has a capacity of 3,860 megawatts (MW) and plans to expand to 7,260MW by 2030, surpassing the original plan of 5,000 megawatts. The 1,800MW sixth phase employs advanced bifacial solar photovoltaic technologies, aiming to supply clean energy to approximately 540,000 residences and reduce carbon emissions by around 2.36 million tonnes annually.
In addition, Al Tayer highlighted the Al Shera’a building, DEWA’s new headquarters, which aspires to be the tallest and largest net-positive energy government building globally. Designed for platinum certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and silver in the WELL Building Standard, the building will utilize advanced technologies like IoT, big data analytics, and AI to enhance efficiency with modern renewable energy solutions.
Al Tayer also emphasized DEWA’s advancements in AI technologies, aiming to become the world’s first AI-native utility. This initiative supports DEWA’s leadership, with the organization ranking first globally in 12 key performance indicators. In 2024, DEWA reported the lowest electricity transmission and distribution losses at 2%, compared to 6% to 7% in Europe and the USA, and recorded the lowest global water transmission and distribution losses at 4.5%. DEWA also achieved a world record for the lowest customer minutes lost (CML), with 0.94 minutes per year, significantly lower than the European Union’s average of 15 minutes.
Fakher Bader reiterated Shell’s commitment to supporting the UAE’s transition to clean energy, aligning with the discussion’s focus on enhancing cooperation for sustainable energy solutions.
