Dubai Airports 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.
With a capacity of 5MWp, the solar project will generate 7,483,500kWh energy annually for Dubai Airports, resulting in savings worth AED3.3m (US$880,000). The project will reduce existing Terminal 2 energy use by approximately 29%, while also slashing annual CO2 emissions by 3,243 metric tons, which is equivalent to 53,617 tree seedlings grown for 10 years or 688 passenger vehicles taken off the road for one year.
The project is part of Shams Dubai, an initiative launched by Etihad ESCO’s owner, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), which aims to promote the use of clean renewable energy. The program encourages installation of solar panels on rooftops to generate electricity from solar power, 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 business technology, 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 of a 30% reduction in the city’s energy consumption by 2030. These include the use of energy-efficient fittings, the optimization of cooling systems, the installation of energy efficient LED bulbs and many others.
“In addition to enabling us to limit our carbon footprint while cutting costs, these initiatives also support our long-term vision for a carbon neutral future in line with the aviation industry’s target. We look forward to working on more energy efficiency initiatives with Etihad ESCO in the future.”