Emirates Water & Electricity Company projects, CEO commended at Asian Power Awards

The company has been able to provide outstanding accomplishments through the visionary leadership of its CEO.

Standing at the forefront of revolutionary advancements in the realm of energy under a visionary leadership, Emirates Water & Electricity Company (EWEC) becomes triumphant in the latest Asian Power Awards for the recognition that it received for its strategic implementation of innovative plans for a more sustainable future, as well as the success of its largest single-site solar power plant and its CEO Othman Juma Al Ali.

Amongst EWEC’s achievements that are propelling the United Arab Emirates (UAE) towards a greener future include its fleet of 16 plants—encompassing solar, nuclear, reverse osmosis, wind, and extremely efficient thermal facilities—which exemplifies a commitment to a diverse energy mix. 

Moreover, the company’s commitment to sustainability extends to innovative programmes like the Clean Energy Certificates (CECs) initiative. This initiative allows consumers to validate their clean energy usage, and in 2023 included the strategic collaboration with Zero Two resulting in the acquisition of 7.3 million MW hours of Clean Energy Certificates (CEC) representing the largest CECs purchase to date, standing as a testament to EWEC's innovation in driving clean energy adoption.

Meanwhile, the company’s pioneering Al Dhafra Solar PV Independent Power Project holds an impressive capacity of two gigawatts (AC). This endeavour will tap into around 3.5 million solar panels – carrying the promise of reducing a staggering 2.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. 

This significant reduction is equivalent to removing almost 470,000 vehicles from the UAE’s roadways, exemplifying the profound impact of this pioneering venture, making an indelible mark on the nation's green trajectory.

At the heart of EWEC’s strategic solar plans lies the use of advanced crystalline, bifacial solar technology. This innovation, characterised by its front-and-back irradiation absorption capability, optimises solar energy utilisation with remarkable efficiency. 

Visionary approach to pioneering achievements

The accomplishments achieved by EWEC would not have been possible without the guidance and leadership of Al Ali.

Appointed as CEO in 2019, he has initiated new projects that lead the world in their size, scope, and efficiencies, achieving world firsts in water and power projects, and strengthening EWEC’s national and international partnerships to help deliver a secure water and power supply in the UAE.

Al Ali’s leadership has led to EWEC playing a pivotal role in realising the UAE's Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. The key strategic projects that it has implemented are part of EWEC’s plan to raise Abu Dhabi’s solar power generation capacity to 7.3 GW by 2030, to achieve the goal of supplying 60% of Abu Dhabi’s total power demand from renewable and clean energy sources by 2035.

Through the application of key strategic initiatives implemented by the visionary leadership of Al Ali, EWEC achieved in February 2023 a new renewable and clean energy delivery record that met 80% of the total power demand through its solar and nuclear energy facilities.

Further expounding on these initiatives, the CEO has collaborated with key entities in Abu Dhabi to support the decarbonisation of their power consumption, and directed landmark CEC partnerships with leading organisations in the energy, industrial, events, healthcare, artificial intelligence, district cooling, and driver education sectors. 

EWEC took home the wins in the Power Utility of the Year - United Arab Emirates and the Solar Power Project of the Year - United Arab Emirates category, with Al Ali also bagging the CEO of the Year in the prestigious awards ceremony.

The Asian Power Awards, now in its 19th year, celebrates and honours companies and projects that have taken innovative and game-changing steps to address the effects of the climate crisis whilst meeting the growing demand for energy.

The Asian Power Awards is presented by Asian Power Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's revolutionary innovations and initiatives in the power industry in Asia, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].