AI and Smart Grids: Operationalizing Policy for Efficiency
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) leverages artificial intelligence technologies such as Microsoft’s Copilot and the Rammas platform to optimize its smart grid operations. These AI-driven tools enable real-time grid management, predictive maintenance, and advanced analytics that improve reliability and reduce operational costs. By integrating AI, DEWA effectively supports Dubai’s ambitious clean energy and net-zero carbon emissions goals for 2050, ensuring efficient energy distribution and minimal downtime amidst increasing renewable energy penetration.
Scaling Solar & Storage: The MBR Solar Park Model
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park stands as a flagship project reflecting DEWA’s commitment to scaling renewable capacity through innovative public-private partnerships using the independent power producer (IPP) model. Its upcoming seventh phase includes a 1400MW battery storage system with an 8,400 MWh capacity, marking one of the largest solar-plus-storage projects worldwide. Alongside this, DEWA employs thermal energy storage technology to balance supply and demand. This integrated approach allows for greater grid stability, maximizes solar asset utilization, and facilitates continuous clean energy supply regardless of solar variability.
Global Lessons for AI-Integrated Energy Policy
DEWA’s strategy merges AI-driven operational tools, large-scale solar generation, and cutting-edge storage solutions within a supportive policy environment. This intersection creates a replicable roadmap for governments and utilities globally aiming to accelerate clean energy transitions. Key lessons include the importance of integrating AI for proactive grid management, leveraging large-scale storage to accommodate renewables, and fostering public-private partnerships to drive investment and innovation.
Dubai’s integrated vision under the Clean Energy Strategy 2050 illustrates how combining advanced technology with comprehensive policy frameworks delivers a resilient, efficient, and sustainable energy system. DEWA’s model offers actionable insights that policymakers and energy professionals can adopt to advance smart, clean energy infrastructure worldwide.
