The call comes at a time when
Dubai's explosive population growth
and heightened commercial and
industrial activities have placed an
unprecedented strain on the
emirate's electricity and
water-generating facilities,
resulting in power outages and water
shortages.
Khaled Bushnaq, Managing Director, Energy
Management Services said:
'Dubai is today the regional hub for commercial, industrial, trade and leisure activities. This has resulted in a huge spurt in economic activities and led to a massive influx of residents, investors and tourists, that places an ever-increasing burden on electricity and water supplies and the environment.'
'This, coupled with rising costs of fossil fuels
and heightened environmental concerns, makes it
important to ensure judicious use of resources
and prevent wasteful consumption, particularly
in the peak summer season. We therefore urge the
authorities in Dubai to launch an intensive
awareness campaign this summer to educate the
public about water and energy-saving practices.
Reduction in energy consumption will not only
result in significant cost savings to the
government and consumers, it will also help in
conserving valuable resources that are required
for power generation and water supply,' he
added.
As per last available official figures,
residential consumers made up 65 per cent of the
total 281,353 consumers registered with Dubai
Electricity and Water Authority [DEWA] in 2004,
generating a demand for 5,120 Gigawatt Hours [GWh]
that accounted for 31 per cent of the power
consumed. The second major group are commercial
customers comprising of 32 per cent of the total
number of consumers and responsible for 41 per
cent or 6,680 GWh of the total power consumed.
Similarly, demand for water during the peak
season rose by ten per cent to touch 184 MIGD
[million gallons per day] in 2004. Most of this
demand came from Dubai's residents who comprised
a majority 79 per cent of DEWA's 226,007
customers and accounted for 61 per cent or
32,618 MIG of the water consumed. Commercial
establishments, who make up 20 per cent of the
Authority's customer base, accounted for 22 per
cent or 11,809 MIG of the water consumed.
Industry data reveals that demand for
desalinated water has grown in the rapidly
developing Arab region at an annual average of
six per cent as compared to the three per cent
global average, compelling governments to pump
in an estimated USD 10 billion into ongoing and
planned projects to boost capacity. But with a
surging population and large-scale economic
diversification across the GCC, governments
predict a further investment of an estimated USD
100 billion would be required over the next 10
years to meet escalating demand for water.
'In such a scenario, energy and water
conservation plays a vital role in environmental
protection by slowing down the depletion of
scarce, non-renewable resources and ensuring
their availability for the future. This can be
achieved through behavioural change, operational
improvements and investment in new technology or
better design for which an effective educational
campaign that will increase public participation
in adopting such measures is essential,' Bushnaq
pointed out.