Dewa issues models for rooftop solar panels

Dubai — The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has released the standards for installing photovoltaic panels to produce electricity from solar power in buildings in Dubai.

The step supports the Smart Dubai initiative launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world. The standards help implement Dewa’s first initiative, which allows customers to install photovoltaic panels to produce electricity from solar power in Dubai. Dewa has invited manufacturers to submit applications.

Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, issued resolution No. (46) for 2014, allowing customers to install photovoltaic (PV) panels for the production of electricity from solar power in buildings, and connect them to Dewa’s grid.

This makes Dubai the first city in the Middle East to put in place a comprehensive framework at the legislative level that allows any customer to install PV generation systems. Any surplus of production will be fed into the electricity network.

An offset between exported and imported electricity units is conducted and the customer account is settled based on this offset.

“As part of our efforts to support the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative launched by Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Smart Dubai initiative to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world, and to achieve the happiness and satisfaction of our customers about government services, we call upon all manufacturers of solar power equipment and tools to register their products as eligible for Dewa so that customers have a reference to start installing the solar systems as soon as possible according to the highest design qualification standards,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dewa.

“Dewa will periodically review the performance of these systems and their compatibility, and improve the process to ensure the solar power technologies are seamlessly integrated with the current power production systems,” added Al Tayer.

The eligibility criteria are described in the Standards for Distributed Renewable Resources Generators Connected to the Distribution Network, which set out the requirements for solar photovoltaic modules, inverters and interface protection systems, among other tools. Dewa will continuously review and update the standards to keep requirements updated on the latest available standards.

Contractors and consultants who install photovoltaic panels must use tools and equipment compatible with Dewa’s standards before installing or connecting them to the grid.