Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, DEWA, has appointed Honeywell to help deliver a first-of-its-kind in the Middle East smart energy project, which will see Honeywell provide an additional 150,000 smart metres in addition to the 250,000 it has already deployed across Dubai.

The multi-million-dollar initiative will enable Dubai to manage electricity use more effectively within the residential sector.

Honeywell’s smart metres support DEWA’s commitment to sustainability and energy efficiency. Smart metres give customers access to detailed and automatic readings of both their current and past energy usage, allowing them to better understand and control their consumption.

DEWA has set ambitious targets for implementing advanced technologies in line with the strategy of UAE Vision 2021 and Dubai Plan 2021. DEWA expects to have installed more than 1 million smart metres by 2020, covering the whole emirate and thereby replacing all mechanical and electro-mechanical metres.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said, "The Smart Dubai initiative, launched in April 2013 by Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and DEWA’s three smart initiatives, are fully-aligned to Dubai Plan 2021, as they will all contribute to the four primary objectives to achieve a smart and sustainable city as laid out in the Dubai Plan 2021.

"The first is for a smart, integrated and connected city directly supported by the Green Charger and Smart Grids initiatives. The second is that Dubai be sustainable with its resources, as supported by the Shams Dubai initiative and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

"DEWA is committed to ensuring the third objective, that environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable, by ensuring sustainability within its vision, mission and operations."

The Smart Grid is a key component of DEWA’s strategy to develop advanced infrastructure to support Dubai's efforts to become a smart and happy city. In addition, it supports the Demand Side Management Strategy, to reduce energy and water use by 30 percent by 2030, and also supports Dubai Plan 2021.

DEWA’s programmes, initiatives, and awareness campaigns helped to reduce electricity consumption by 19 percent and water consumption by 28 percent in the residential sector between 2009 and 2016. Consumption of electricity in the commercial sector has been reduced by 10 percent and water by 30 percent, and in the industrial sector by 15 percent and 21 percent respectively.

Educational institutions have decreased their electricity use by 9 percent and water by 24 percent over the same period, with government and semi-government buildings making savings of 12 percent and 21 percent respectively.

Norm Gilsdorf, Honeywell’s President for the Middle East, Russia, Turkey and Central Asia regions, said, "We are proud to continue our strategic relationship with DEWA in our combined efforts to make Dubai smarter and more energy efficient. This is a significant opportunity for Honeywell in the region and we believe we are at the forefront of delivering technologies that enable a smarter future for the UAE and wider Middle East region. We also congratulate DEWA on its achievements so far in driving sustainability and reducing water and electricity consumption. We look forward to working closely with DEWA to increase efficiency and promote smarter energy use."