Over 400 buildings throughout Dubai are equipped with rooftop solar panels.
The number of buildings with solar panels on the roofs in Dubai nearly doubled to 435 in just 10 months. This was made possible thanks to the emirate's efforts to equip buildings with photovoltaic panels.
More than 200 new buildings have been supplied with solar energy since November with a total capacity of 15.6 megawatts as part of the Shams Dubai initiative, according to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
The initiative, launched in 2015, aims to ensure that by 2030 solar panels are installed on all roofs of the emirate. Excessive power generated by the solar panels in the network will be reflected in the customer’s electricity bills.
To encourage residents and businesses to switch to solar energy, Dewa created a calculator on its website that can be used to compare costs.
Other tools available to those interested in installing solar panel systems include Green Deal Dubai, a crowdsourcing platform that helps lower solar energy costs by providing a list of providers.
Dubai aims to ensure that by 2020 7% of the total energy production comes from environmentally friendly sources, 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050.
Owned by Dewa Etihad Energy Services (Esco) installed 144 photovoltaic panels with a total capacity of 37.5 kilowatts in the Hutta Utility Center. By the end of next year, the company will also equip similar systems of 640 villas in the area.
