Dubai is highly aware of the limitations of natural resources and has been a leader in implementing green systems across the economy, including the transportation sector. Now, two landmark initiatives build on previous projects at Dubai Airports and set new standards for sustainability in the aviation industry.
Dubai Airports will install the world’s largest rooftop solar panel system, which will span Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central Airport (DWC). The system will have 62,904 solar panels and can generate 60,346MWh of clean energy every year, meeting 6.5% of Dubai International Airport and 20% of Dubai World Central Airport’s electricity needs.
Scheduled to be completed in 2026, the project will offset 23,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, which is equivalent to taking 5,000 cars off the road or powering 3,000 homes for a year.
Paul Griffiths, chief executive of Dubai Airports, said: "Every kilowatt-hour of electricity we generate from renewable energy brings us closer to reducing our carbon footprint and future-proofing our operations."
Dubai Airports has partnered with Etihad Clean Energy Development Company on the project.
Meanwhile, Emirates announced plans to use clean energy to power 37% of its engineering center operations through another partnership with Etihad Clean Energy. The airline will install 39,960 solar panels with a total power of 23,177kWp. The project is expected to generate 34,301,960 kilowatt hours of electricity per year and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 13,000 tons per year.
Other Emirates-owned facilities in Dubai, such as the Emirates in-flight catering facility and sevens football stadium, already have solar panels installed.
As part of the Dubai 2040 City Master Plan, Dubai is prioritizing sustainable urban development and green infrastructure, including its transportation sector. Dubai Airports has been actively undertaking projects that will help achieve these goals. Dubai Airports has optimized its cooling system, switched to biodiesel-powered ground vehicles and reduced food waste to landfill.
At the same time, Dubai’s broader sustainability goals are being implemented at a rapid pace. Its clean energy roadmap initially targeted 25% clean energy by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2050. However, Dubai is actively accelerating the use of clean energy, according to Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), the parent company of Etihad Clean Energy Development Company. AlTayer predicts that Dubai's clean energy production capacity may reach 27% as early as 2030.