DEWA Launches MENA Solar Conference In Dubai

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, chief executive officer (CEO) of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), launched the first Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Solar Conference on Wednesday.

The solar conference was inaugurated in collaboration with the IEEE Electron Device Society, an organization that helps electron-based device professionals when it comes to recognition, education and exchange of technical information.

Experts and researchers from 120 universities, alongside research centers from 38 countries, participated in the conference to discuss more than 200 research papers in various solar energy fields.

MENA Solar Conference focuses on six areas of research, including unconventional and new concepts for future technologies, silicon photovoltaic materials and devices, perovskite and organic materials, PV module and system reliability in MENA region, solar resources for PV and forecasting and power electronics and grid integration.

The inauguration was attended by Matar Humaid Al Tayer, chairman of DEWA; Ahmed Buti Al Muhairbi, secretary general of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE); Saif Humaid Al Falasi, CEO of Emirates National Oil Company Group (ENOC) and Ahmed Bin Shafar, CEO of Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower).

The conference, which will wrap up on Saturday, coincides with the 25th Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show (DSS), which is organized by DEWA and has been running since Wednesday and will end on Friday.

In his inaugural speech, the CEO of DEWA shared the importance of the conference, noting that it will bring innovation and progress in solar energy technologies. He also shared that the event represents a pivotal step toward sustainable energy solutions.

"Taking place in the Year of Sustainability in UAE and in conjunction with the UAE's hosting of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), the inauguration of this MENA Solar Conference resonates profoundly with DEWA's unwavering commitment to lead Dubai's global position in renewable and clean energy," he said, according to WAM.

He explained that the conference supports DEWA's efforts in innovation, research and development, which is aligned with the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to ensure 100% of Dubai's energy comes from a clean source by 2050.

"Solar energy, being abundant and renewable, offers numerous benefits beyond just power generation. It serves as a catalyst for innovation, economic growth, and environmental preservation driving the need for robust research and development in the field," the DEWA CEO added.