A tenth of all Dubai homes will have solar panels this year

Around 10 percent of homes in Dubai will soon sport solar rooftops, thanks to a concerted push by emirati officials.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will install photovoltaic panels free of charge to home owners in observance of the 50-Year Charter.

The occasion marks the 50th anniversary of Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s entry into public service.

“The project will be completed before the end of 2019, and DEWA will bear all the costs of the project, which contributes to achieving the happiness of citizens,” DEWA chief executive Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer was quoted as saying.

DEWA awarded the residential solar project to six companies, chosen from 13 bidders that had participated in a tender in January.

“DEWA has developed a plan to implement the directives of His Highness in article number 7, which is related to energy-self-sufficiency in 10 percent of citizens’ homes. This will help change their lifestyle and contribute to the preservation of the environment,” Al Tayer said.

The Etihad Energy Services Company (Etihad ESCO) will be on hand to oversee the implementation of the project. Energy-saving lights and water-saving fixtures will also be installed to complement the use of renewable energy in Dubai homes.

The solar power programme is part of Shams Dubai, an initiative launched by DEWA in 2015 to build up photovoltaic capacity in the emirate. As of August, requests for more than 300MW of net-metered capacity had been filed under the programme.