DP World, Etihad ESCO to expand energy efficiency collaboration

DP World, UAE Region, the leading smart trade enabler, and Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), announced plans to expand their ongoing energy efficiency collaboration into renewable solar power installations across DP World’s assets in the UAE.

They signed a Memorandum of Understanding during a virtual ceremony in the presence of Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa, and Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO, DP World.

The MoU provides a framework to facilitate existing collaboration to cover DP World, UAE Region’s changing requirements in line with its overarching energy efficiency and sustainability programmes. These include Energy Performance Contracting Projects, Solar On-Grid Installations, and IT Solutions and Technologies including Command and Control Centres, IoT, Smart Automation and Network Operations.

Al Tayer commented, “Since 2015, Etihad ESCO and DP World have collaborated in projects that are actively reducing DP World’s carbon footprint and supporting sustainability goals. This MoU is a significant milestone for Etihad ESCO, building on our long partnership. We look forward to strengthening mutual cooperation and exchanging the best international experiences of energy efficiency to continue this sustainable development journey, for a greener future for all.”

For his part, Bin Sulayem said, “At DP World, we use innovative technologies to ensure that our practices comply with the Green Building programme of the Government of Dubai. Our efforts go beyond saving costs to strengthen our contribution to the Emirates Green Agenda 2030. DP World and Etihad Energy Services have a long record of collaboration. With this MoU, we open a new chapter in improving energy efficiencies across our assets in the UAE Region. DP World focuses on measuring and managing its direct environmental impact to contribute to the pressing challenge of climate change. Etihad Energy’s knowledge and expertise combined with DP World’s experience with energy efficiency will help achieve our common goals.”

In June 2019, Etihad ESCO had financed and completed the first and second phases of a major retrofit project for the staff accommodation areas of the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza), where nearly 40,000 people live. The project achieved 32.6 per cent savings in energy consumption, surpassing initial targets, upon completion of one year of Measurement and Verification period. The environment has benefited tremendously since, with 17,000 tonnes of reductions in annual CO2 emissions, equivalent to removing 3,600 cars from roads for a year.

Etihad Energy Services is also currently working on retrofitting buildings in DP World’s Dubai Maritime City, in a project that is expected to save up to 20 per cent in energy consumption of the targeted facilities. Both parties look forward to enhancing their fruitful cooperation for the interest of all.

RERA SIGNS MOC: The Real Estate Regulatory Agency (RERA) at Dubai Land Department (DLD) signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO), aimed at achieving a number of common and related goals, most prominently reducing the total service charge for unit owners in freehold properties, the long-term benefit for a period not exceeding 99 years, and enhancing transparency in customer service for the cooling services billing system.

The MoC was signed by Marwan bin Ghalita, CEO of RERA, and Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, and Vice Chairman of Etihad ESCO. The MoC also included cooperation in paying the cooling services on time; invoicing the energy bills (electricity and air conditioning) for the units and areas of shared spaces in the projects within the real estate invoices issued by Dewa; installing, maintaining and reading energy meters through Etihad ESCO and making payments directly to DEWA; and exploring the possibility of implementing energy efficiency solutions in the building that could help reduce energy costs.

Bin Ghalita said, “At RERA, we seek to enhance the flexibility and ease of customer access to services, raise their level of happiness and trust, and enhance the principle of transparency in providing the required services. The MoC with Etihad ESCO would help achieve a qualitative leap in the field of energy efficiency and other relevant fields, and we will work together to achieve it in the best way. We will work to continuously develop partnerships that would contribute to strengthening the infrastructure of the real estate sector in its various fields and trends.”

Salman commented, “We look forward to this partnership with RERA to achieve the specified results and goals.