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Solar park desalination plant nearing completion

Dubai - Project supports efforts of Dewa, UAE Water Foundation to supply clean water to people in poor countries

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority managing director and chief executive officer Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer visited the water desalination unit at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to check its progress, which is expected to be completed by the end of May.
The desalination plant is powered by a photovoltaic array and uses reverse osmosis technology to produce 50 cubic metres of drinking water a day. The project supports the Dewa's research and development efforts to provide high-quality drinking water for the solar park. The Dewa cooperates with other international organisations to conduct research on water desalination using solar energy.
"The project also supports the Dewa and the UAE Water Foundation's [Suqia's] efforts to supply people in poor countries with clean drinking water, by conducting specialised research regarding the production of desalinated water via the use of solar energy, storing it, and supporting water technology related projects to defeat drought," Al Tayer said.
He noted that the project adheres to Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, launched by His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to provide seven per cent of Dubai's energy from clean energy sources by 2020. This target will increase to 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050. The Dewa gives priority to the environment in all its projects and operations.
The project aims to extract saltwater and desalinate it to produce water that is as good as bottled water, by using innovative technology.
Thirty-five per cent of construction on the project is complete.
"This supports the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative and Dubai Plan 2021 for the emirate to be sustainable with its resources, whose environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable, in a safe and resilient environment. This supports the Dewa's vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility," said Al Tayer.
All electricity used to pump and desalinate water at the station will be produced via a hybrid electricity source that combines photovoltaic cells at 100KW, and batteries with a capacity of 520kWh per day.
The project will produce desalinated water by using solar energy and an integrated energy storage system, this allows the station to operate for 24 hours a day. In the future, this model will be applied on a larger scale to form more developed technology to produce water. The Dewa has become a pioneer for implementing this highly-efficient and flexible model, working towards a zero-dependence rate on traditional energy sources.
Al Tayer was accompanied by Dewa officials, including Waleed Salman, executive vice-president of strategy and business development; Hussain Lootah, executive vice-president of transmission power; Khawla Al Mehairi, vice-president of marketing and corporate communications; Moza Al Akraf, CIO; Saeed Al Jallaf, vice-president of transmission projects and permits; Jamal Shaheen Al Hammadi, vice-president of special projects; and Khalifa Al Mehairi, vice-president of distribution maintenance.