Second renewable project highlights aluminium company’s energy-conscious mind-set

United Arab Emirates: The UAE’s aluminium giant Emirates Global Aluminium (“EGA”), has unveiled a mini solar field at one of its core operating assets – Dubai Aluminium (“DUBAL”, known as Jebel Ali Operations). The new array, which has a maximum output of 70kW, will generate enough power to run the electricity requirements of the site’s Residential Area Office in the daytime, including air-conditioning.

The development reflects EGA’s on-going commitment to save electricity and use renewable energy sources wherever possible. Other energy-conservation efforts in various areas of the Jebel Ali Operations saved approximately 40,000 MWh since April 2011.

The inauguration ceremony, which took place on 1 December 2014, was attended by H.E. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer (Vice-Chairman: Emirates Global Aluminium), Executive Committee, senior management, staff and contractors involved in the project. Also present were representatives of DEWA and the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (“DSCE”).

Tayeb Al Awadhi (Vice-President: Power & Desalination at DUBAL) said the company is a whole-hearted supporter of the Dubai Government’s efforts to minimise energy consumption in fulfilment of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy (“DIES”) 2030. “This solar array reflects the energy-conscious culture we nurture at EGA,” said Al Awadhi. “Renewable energy is a critical part of our energy strategy. As a key player in the UAE’s energy sector, we are extremely supportive of the DIES 2030 objectives of helping Dubai become a role model to the world in energy security and efficiency.”

The solar panels are the second major renewable energy project at DUBAL. In 2013, the absorption chiller installed at DUBAL became the UAE’s first-ever absorption chiller set-up in a power plant, which uses excess heat to produced chilled water for comfort cooling. Installed on the rooftop of the DUBAL Desalination Plant control building, the absorption chiller has replaced the electrically-driven vapour compression chillers and uses less than 1 t/h of free steam. The absorption chiller has proven to reduce the company’s energy consumption by approximately 780,000 kWh per year, and also reduced the company’s carbon footprint. This already attracted the interest of the Dubai Municipality, which is exploring ways of using this technology more broadly.

In parallel and under the sponsorship of the Executive Affairs Authority in Abu Dhabi, EGA”s Al Taweelah site is working closely with TRANSCO and ADWEA to optimise gas utilisation within the Emirates. Several initiatives are at various stages of implementation, which will contribute towards establishing a more efficient grid.