Al Tayer hails UAE's ranking on Global Innovation Index 2016

DUBAI, 16th August, 2016 (WAM) The UAE stands at the forefront of the Arab world in the Global Innovation Index 2016, as it moved up six places compared to previous year, a UAE official has said.

This is a result of the long-term vision of the wise leadership that focusses on innovation, as shown by the declaration of President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, announcing 2015 as the Year of Innovation, and the National Innovation Strategy launched by Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to make the UAE one of the most innovative countries in the world.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said, "We are implementing the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and the Dubai Plan 2021, to transform Dubai into a city of happy, creative, and empowered people. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) supports the efforts of our wise leadership to establish the position of Dubai and the UAE as a platform for innovation and as a creativity incubator. This supports the Dubai Innovation Strategy, which emphasises that innovation is a priority for improving government services and initiatives and a basis to develop our strategies and plans."

He added that DEWA adopts an integrated strategy to stimulate research in renewable energy and water and implement creative ideas and suggestions. They are also committed to adopting the best studies and research in all their operations and services, enhancing their leading position, to achieve their vision to become a sustainable innovative world-class utility. DEWA continues to pursue an innovative approach, and to build its future strategic plans to support sustainable development in Dubai.

Al Tayer noted that DEWA has adopted innovation within its strategy for 2021, and has adopted strategic innovation as one of the five major pillars of the DEWA2021 Strategic Plan. They aim to achieve the goals of their strategy by the time they celebrate the Golden Jubilee of the Union.

"DEWA's Innovation Centre is one of the innovative projects at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. It features a number of research and development centres in clean energy technologies, drone research, 3D-printing, and water desalination using solar energy, with a total investment of AED 500 million. Last year, DEWA launched its Innovation Week, to enhance the UAE's international position in innovation. Innovation Week comprised 30 innovative activities and events, and witnessed the launch of 40 innovations for sustainable energy and water," he said.

The activities also included the launch of 'My Innovation' (Ibtikari in Arabic), for university students and engineering specialists to identify scientific solutions and innovations in sustainability and water. DEWA concluded its Innovation Week by hosting the fifth Creativity and Innovation Week to mark its innovative achievements with international sustainability, renewable energy, and water experts. DEWA also launched the Afkari (Arabic for MyDEWAideas) internal programme, the first creative programme in the Government of Dubai, where employees are actively encouraged to vote and comment on other employees' ideas and collaborate and share best practices.

DEWA also studies innovative ideas and development comments received from the Mohammed bin Rashid Smart Majlis, which is an innovative platform that enables direct interaction and helps government organisations to receive innovative ideas and development comments that benefit generations to come.

It is also organising the Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME), which is scheduled to take place in 2018, and again in 2020. The decathlon aims to motivate university students and encourage them to innovate and use their creativity to design efficient and self-sufficient buildings.

"This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, that relies on innovation, and Research and Development (R & D) as the basis for the future of energy. DEWA co-operates with different government and private organisations to enhance our position to the same level as the largest international utilities, while working to provide sustainable and innovative services according to the highest standards of efficiency, accountability and availability, to make Dubai the happiest and smartest city in the world," Al Tayer concluded.