Ducab opens new solar plant to boost UAE clean energy landscape

Business Bureau, Gulf Today

Ducab Group, one of the UAE’s largest manufacturing businesses, has taken a significant step towards increasing its sustainability with the official opening of its Solar Plant, which was inaugurated by His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), in the presence of Dr Ahmad Bin Hassan Al Shaikh, Chairman, Ducab, Board members and senior officials from both parties.

The Solar Plant, a 2MWp (megawatt peak) Renewable Generation Project located at Ducab’s head office site in Jebel Ai, Dubai, was developed in partnership with Etihad Energy Service Company (Etihad ESCO), in alignment with the UAE’s ambitions to harness the potential of solar power. Comprising of both rooftop and ground mounted solar PV, the combined plant has a capacity to produce 3.5GWH (gigawatt hours) annually, which is enough to meet the energy needs of 500 homes, or sufficient enough to run the Ducab PVC plant on site.

Energy generated by Ducab’s Solar Plant will lead to savings of approximately 660 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide - equivalent to the quantity of carbon dioxide processed by 40,000 trees over 10 years.

Saeed Al Tayer said, “I am pleased to commission Ducab’s photovoltaic solar plant. I congratulate the Group on this achievement, which affirms its commitment to a culture of sustainability. It also underlines Ducab’s role as a leading organisation that supports the vision of our wise leadership to reduce carbon emissions, and the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to make Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world and provide 75% of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy sources by 2050. This project also supports DEWA’s efforts to protect the environment and preserve natural resources by increasing the share of renewable and clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix. DEWA also encourages individuals and organisations to install solar photovoltaic solar systems in buildings as part of the Shams Dubai initiative, which supports the Smart Dubai initiative to make Dubai the smartest and happiest city in the world.”

Dr Ahmad Al Shaikh said: “Ducab Solar Plant represents our continued efforts towards making our business more sustainable, in line with the vision of the UAE’s leadership and our own commitment towards the environment. We would like to thank His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer, DEWA, and Etihad ESCO for their partnership in making this project a reality, which will lead to considerable emissions savings, as well as valuable financial savings.”

Designed to last the 25 years design life, over 150kms of Ducab’s specialist UL certified SolarBICC* range of wires have been supplied for the Solar Plant, that also includes 300 sq.mm low voltage copper cables which have been an integral part of this power plant construction.

From Design approvals, to Testing and Inspection right upto Energization for both rooftop and ground mounted PV plant, DEWA’s guidance and invaluable support has been testament of a true partnership. The project utilises the latest smart technology applications including DEWA Smart Metering, remote monitoring of power output using a web or mobile app, and automated self-cleaning solar panels using solar-powered cleaning robots.

Ducab Group, one of the UAE’s largest manufacturing businesses, has announced a 5% climb in overall profitability in 2019, driven by gains in key areas of its cable and metal manufacturing portfolio.

With six manufacturing facilities across four sites in the UAE, today Ducab has a manufacturing capability of over 115,000 metal tonnes of high, medium, and low-voltage cable solutions, an upgraded production capacity of 175,000 tonnes of copper rod and wire per annum, complemented by 50,000 tonnes per annum of aluminium rod and overhead conductors. Ducab exports 60% of its overall production worldwide.

The Ducab Group secured a number of strategic contracts during the year. This included a series of partnerships with ADNOC to provide its advanced range of cables and overhead conductors designed specifically for the oil and gas industry, as well as offering continued maintenance, repair, and evaluation

With its rich supply record to the soon-to-start Barakah nuclear power plant in UAE, it was also a year in which Ducab further reinforced its commitment towards developing the UAE’s alternative energy sector. Ducab has developed its own rooftop solar plant at its new head offices in Dubai for on-site power generation, part of the company’s wider efforts to support the UAE’s solar energy agenda. The company was also the supplier for a wind scheme in the Dhofar region of Oman, and provided its cables for a number of solar power plants within the MENA region.