Largest airport solar energy system at DXB

Dubai Airports, DXB, and Etihad Energy Services Company, Etihad ESCO, 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 Dhs3.3 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.

Etihad ESCO is an energy service company and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, Dewa.

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 the 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 of 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 turn, Ali Al Jassim, CEO of Etihad ESCO, stated, “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 percent.”

WAM