Dubai Solar Show 2019 brings together specialists & experts to explore latest clean & renewable energy solutions

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised 17 innovative panel discussions for the 4th Dubai Solar Show, with a set of government officials, and experts and specialists from major local and international solar power companies. DSS is held in conjunction with the 21st Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX 2019) and the sixth World Green Economy Summit (WGES), under the umbrella of the sixth Green Week. WETEX was held under the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai; and under the patronage of HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and President of DEWA, from 21-23 October 2019, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The discussion sessions focused on the most important innovations related to solar power, maintenance, innovation, and research and development (R&D). They also focused on Energy Performance Contracting, accelerating global solar deployment to generate electricity, carbon emissions reduction in transport by switching to electric and green hydrogen-based vehicles, as well as using solar power to generate fresh water in the region. The sessions also focused on major achievements of the Shams Dubai initiative that DEWA has launched to support Smart Dubai. Shams Dubai enables building owners to install photovoltaic panels on rooftops to generate electricity and connect them to DEWA's grid.

“In Dubai, we are working to achieve the goals of the Eight Principles of Governance and the 50 Year Charter launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, which include improving quality of life, developing Dubai’s society, and ensuring a bright future for generations to come. Dubai is a pioneer in the transition to a green economy through two objectives. The first is to reduce energy and water demand by 30% by 2030, by promoting efficiency and conservation programmes. The other is improving the supply side by diversifying the energy mix, especially clean energy, increasing efficiency, and reducing electricity and water network losses,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA and Founder and Chairman of WETEX.

“Dubai Solar Show is becoming increasingly important in light of the increasing use of solar power and increasing awareness about the importance of relying on it to tackle climate change. Solar Power is increasingly playing a major role in successful bids, as is purchasing renewable energy through Purchase Power Agreements. There is also significant reduction in the costs of electricity generation and solar powered water desalination. There are also remarkable developments in photovoltaic panel performance. Solar power is ideal for the Middle East and North Africa, offering countries in this region the opportunity to decarbonise their power generation whilst achieving ever lower energy prices. Dubai plays a major role in gathering thousands of innovators, exhibitors, participants, officials, and decision makers from the UAE, the region and the world to discuss ways to expand renewable energy businesses and projects. WETEX, the Dubai Solar Show, and the 6th World Green Economy Summit are all happening at the same time, which is a great opportunity to exchange ideas, and identify regional and world market demand. This also provides investors the opportunity to build business relationships and expand business opportunities,” he added.

Day 1

The first day of the event featured five panel discussions, starting with The Big Energy Conversations (Part 1): ‘Accelerating the deployment of solar power worldwide’, with Ahmed Nada, President of the Middle East Solar Industry Association; Amit Jain, MD Middle East, South & Central Asia & Turkey, Engie; Carlos Gascó Travesedo, Energy Policy Executive Director, Department of Energy Abu Dhabi; and Paddy Padmanathan, CEO of ACWA Power. This was be followed by a panel discussion entitled ‘How to design and build increasingly competitive solar projects,’ with Antonio Moreno, Regional Director, Middle East - Abengoa;  Mothana Bahjeat Qteishat, MD, JinkoPower; and Paddy Padmanathan, CEO of ACWA Power. The third panel discussion focused on ‘State of the Art Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Technology,’ with Antonio Jiménez Manzorro, Managing Director & VP Middle East and Africa of Trina Solar; Georg Eitelhuber, CTO at NOMAD Desert Solutions; and Stephan Padlewski, Market and Program Leader EMEA, at Dupont Photovoltaic & Advanced Materials. The 4th panel was titled ‘Boosting solar power growth with dedicated policies’ with Ahmad Alazemi, Kuwait Ministry of Water and Electricity; Nour Mezher, Climate and Energy Project Manager, Emirates Nature WWF; and Vladimir Limin, CEO, Salimus. The first day concluded with an innovative interactive seminar, which discussed insights on the most important current and future challenges related to the energy sector, with Andrea Lovato, VP and Head of Renewables at ACWA Power.

Day 2

The second day featured five panel discussions, beginning with The Big Energy Conversations (Part 2): The role of storage in the energy transition to renewable energy.’ This included Madina Mukhanova, Market Manager at Fluence; Naïm El Chami, Energy Storage Analyst, Clean Horizon, and Pekka Tolonen, Director, Growth and Development, Africa, at Wärtsilä. The second panel discussion discussed ‘DEWA R&D updates in desert conditions’ with Aaesha Alnuaimi, Senior Researcher and Head of Solar Research, Hesham Ismail, Senior Researcher and Head of 4IR, Jim Joseph John, Senior Researcher, and Ashot Mnatsakanyan, Research Development, from the DEWA R&D Centre. A third panel discussed ‘Innovative photovoltaic technology for increasingly competitive projects: string inverters, higher voltage, big data, blockchain, new set-ups’ with Ashish Gupta, Director of Project Development and Regional O&M Leader, First Solar; and Wasim Malouhi, General Manager of Development of Al Fanar Construction. The fourth panel was ‘Battery Technologies and Applications in Renewable Energy Projects’ with Asif Khan, Business Development Manager at Lockheed-Martin; Moutasem Bitar, Sales and Marketing Director Middle East and Africa at SMA Solar Technology AG, and Imran Syed, Head of Industrial Power & Energy Storage at Enerwhere. The second day concluded with an innovative interactive seminar on current and future challenges facing the energy sector.

Day 3

The third day included seven sessions. They started with The Big Energy Conversations (Part 3): ‘What do corporate PPAs mean for the future of renewable energy?’ with Nick Carter, Electricity Interconnections and Market Integration Convener of the EU GCC Clean Energy Technology Network.

The next session was be a seminar on ‘An update on Etihad ESCO Projects,’ with Ali Mohammed Al Jassim, CEO of Etihad ESCO. It was followed by a panel discussion on Dubai’s Distributed Solar Programme Update: Shams Dubai, with Armando Dominioni, Senior Manager of Regulation at DEWA, and Meera Almeel, Senior Engineer on Regulation at DEWA. The fourth session will be about ‘Innovative business models in solar power for commercial and industrial clients,’ with Derin Josen, Head of Solar Power and Smart Buildings, Al Naboodah, and Rory McCarthy, Chief Commercial Officer of Yellow Door Energy.

The fifth session focused on ‘Decarbonising Industrial and Transport Sectors with Green Hydrogen,’ in participation with Alessandro Zampieri, DEWA, Bob Weehuizen, Business Development Manager, Proton Ventures; Damien Sage, VP Business Development for Hydrogen, Engie, and Frank Wouters, Director, EU-GCC Network. The next session was ‘The latest on electric vehicles’, with Ebilash Ethanur Thuppale, Head of Smart Cities at Al Naboodah; Salman Hussain, Managing Partner, Evera; Stephen Severance, Head, Program Management and Marketing at Masdar City Sustainable Real Estate.

The third day was concluded with a panel discussion on Solar Powered Desalination, in participation with Jorge Salas, VP of Water Business Development at Abengoa.