Half of Dubai power supply goes waste: Dewa

Dubai wastes about 50 per cent of electricity annually by wrong usage. Conservation methods such as use of sustainable appliances and prudent habits can help save power considerably, says a top official at the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa). 

“Power-saving appliances can help reduce wastage and the current consumption level can be reduced by almost 50 per cent,” said Abdulla Alhajri, Executive Vice-President, Customer Services, Dewa.

The average individual electricity usage is about 20,000 kilowatt hours per annum and 130 gallons of water daily, according to Dewa.

“Every kilowatt of electricity is precious and people should be aware of the costs involved in its production," he added.  Dubai incidentally has one of the world's biggest carbon footprints on a per-person basis.

Commenting on the progress made in sustainable and green developments, Alhajri said: “There is a perception that budget allocations for green buildings has dropped due to financial crisis. It is very important to understand that by opting for cheaper construction materials you are actually spending more on power consumption. Fifteen years earlier when I built the house, I installed energy-saving mechanisms, and it reflects in my energy consumption levels today.”

“We see many consumers opting for cheap-quality electronics to save money. What they do not realise is that by doing so, they are actually spending extra on electricity consumption,” he added.

When asked if Dewa would help consumers identify energy-saving electronics by recommending certain models, he said: “This is exactly what we plan to do during this Wetex.”

It has invited companies, manufacturers, brand owners and dealers participating in this year’s SmarTech a B2B and B2C platform, held alongside Wetex, to showcase their range of energy-efficient household appliances and green building technologies and devices.

Dewa has also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Emirates Environmental Group (EEG) to collaborate on and support environmental initiatives and strengthen efforts to conserve power and water apart from enhancing waste recycling.
 

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