Dubai gets Middle East's largest airport solar energy system

Dubai Airports, the world's busiest international airport, and Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), a leading energy service company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), have announced the successful installation of a solar energy system comprising 15,000 photovoltaic panels at Dubai International's Terminal 2 - the largest at any airport in the region.

With a capacity of 5MWp, the solar project will generate 7,483,500 kWh energy annually for Dubai Airports, resulting in savings worth Dh3.3 million.

The project will reduce existing Terminal 2 load by approximately 29 per cent, while also slashing annual CO2 emissions by 3,243 metric tonnes, which is equivalent to 53,617 tree seedlings grown for 10 years or 688 passenger vehicles driven for one year, according to a press release.

The project is part of Shams Dubai, Dewa's first smart initiative that aims to promote the use of clean renewable energy sources. The programme encourages installation of solar panels on rooftops to generate electricity from solar power and connecting it to Dewa's grid to transfer surplus generation.

Etihad ESCO will provide maintenance services for Dubai Airports for a period of seven years from completion.

Michael Ibbitson, Executive Vice President, Infrastructure and Technology, Dubai Airports, said: "Dubai Airports has undertaken a variety of green initiatives over the past several years to limit our carbon footprint and support Dubai's goal for a 30 per cent reduction in the city's energy consumption by 2030. These include the use of energy efficient fittings, the optimisation of cooling systems, the installation of energy efficient LED bulbs and many others."

"In addition to enabling us to limit our carbon footprint while cutting costs, these initiatives also support our long-term vision for a carbon neutral future in line with the aviation industry's target. We look forward to working on more energy efficiency initiatives with Etihad ESCO in the future," he said. 

Ali Al Jassim, CEO, Etihad ESCO, said: "Our partnership with Dubai Airports for the installation of photovoltaic solar panels gives us an opportunity to play a role in Dubai Airports' vision for energy efficiency and development."

"Furthermore, this also marks an extension of an existing partnership between Dubai Airports and Etihad ESCO, which goes back to October 2017 when we signed an agreement for the retrofitting of DXB's Terminals 1, 2 and 3 to enhance energy efficiency and cut down water and electricity consumption by 20 per cent. This once again underscores the role of joint efforts in achieving Dubai's sustainability goals," he added.

"As you all know, the Shams Dubai initiative supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai to make Dubai one of the smartest cities in the world. Etihad ESCO aims to retrofit 30,000 buildings by 2030 and is currently preparing to implement Dh400 million worth of projects, expanding beyond building retrofits to include industrial retrofits and solar projects," he concluded.