Dubai Electricity and Water Authority's (DEWA) international arm and Shanghai Electric signed a Nov. 1 memorandum of understanding to explore overseas projects, with no named project or funding commitment, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.
The framework allows the partners to identify and structure potential projects, then evaluate and develop them. It also provides for tender participation and investment through tenders, according to WAM. The report names no development timetable.
The energy scope includes combined-cycle power plants, photovoltaic and concentrated solar power, wind generation and battery storage. It also covers electricity transmission and distribution. The water component is seawater desalination, while the potential green-fuel work includes hydrogen and ammonia. WAM also listed oil-and-gas equipment and services.
DEWA announced in June that it had formed DEWA International as a wholly owned subsidiary to pursue conventional and clean-energy projects around the world. The authority said the unit would bring Dubai's energy and water infrastructure model to global markets through partnerships. At the launch, Al Tayer projected that worldwide demand for energy and water infrastructure would exceed $20 trillion by 2035.
The two companies have worked together in Dubai. DEWA identifies Shanghai Electric as a main contractor on phase four of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. DEWA says photovoltaic capacity added to the phase brought it to 950 megawatts.
Al Tayer said international expansion could strengthen DEWA's long-term growth and financial returns. “Our partnership with Shanghai Electric supports our efforts to explore promising opportunities in energy, water and green technologies,” he said.
