Sharjah’s bid to employ smart initiatives similar to Dubai has drawn interest from some leading companies in the industry.
Ericsson of Sweden and ABB of Switzerland are among those said to be attracted to the emirate’s plans.
In Dubai, Ericsson is in the “final stages of negotiating the roll-out process” for smart meters – for both water and electricity, Rutger Reman, the regional head of Ericsson’s industry and society division, said on the sidelines of Wetex in Dubai.
Dubai plans to start implementing smart meters this year.
Ericsson is now in discussions with Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority (Sewa) to begin a smart metering and grid pilot project in the emirate.
“They are asking all the big players,” said Mr Reman.
ABB, which supplies power and automation technology, is another major participant in Dubai’s smart programme. It is also looking at opportunities in other parts of the country, including Sewa in Sharjah.
“The UAE is a very important hub for ABB so we are [looking] to have a larger footprint in the country, not only to serve the UAE market but to serve the Middle East,” said Novak Stevanovic, ABB’s regional division manager of power systems.
According to Mohamed Abdulla Husain, Sewa’s manager of excellence, the emirate accounts for 55 per cent of the UAE’s industries, underpinning its economy.
And with Sharjah planning to reduce power consumption by 30 per cent by 2020, it would result in savings of several million dirhams a year.
Dubai, however, plans to reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent by 2030.
Mr Husain said that the utility was currently in the tendering process for several “smart” projects, declining to give details.
However, he said that the industry sector would be the first to be tackled.
“We consider them our VIP customers,” he said.
Ericsson’s Mr Reman said that “They [Sewa] have been looking at what all the other players are doing, and Dewa has been very vocal, so of course, now Sewa sees that this initiative can be good since they have the same challenges.”
At the first day of the Wetex conference, Dewa signed seven memorandums of understanding (MoU), all in relation to the emirate’s smart initiatives.
The agreements included educating the public on ways to save energy and create social awareness about where Dewa will provide LED lights for 2,000 homes and install solar panels for 20 homes.
lgraves@thenational.ae
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