Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) unveiled its first lineup of international keynote speakers, researchers and specialists participating in the specialist technical sessions and panel discussions to be held during the first Middle East and North Africa Solar Conference 2023, being organised by DEWA from 15 to 18 November 2023. The conference is the first scientific and technical conference of its kind in the region, specialising in solar energy systems. It focuses on all areas of photovoltaics with a rich programme on PV materials and devices, future technologies, PV reliability and forecasting for performance assessment. Areas extend to system operation, concentrated solar power and grid integration, all of which are key in accelerating the green energy transformation.

“Thanks to the wise directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, we have made great strides in creating a sustainable future, towards achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of Dubai’s total power production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. DEWA is working to consolidate its position as one of the leading and distinguished utilities worldwide. This is by attracting the most prominent international researchers and specialists in futuristic and vital sectors, and refining Emirati competencies, to develop innovative solutions and experiences that enhance our active contribution to the clean and renewable energy sector worldwide. We have pioneering initiatives and projects to diversify clean energy sources. These include multiple clean and renewable energy sources and technologies such as PV panels, CSP, green hydrogen production using solar power, and pumped-storage water technology using clean energy in Hatta. We have also implemented projects and initiatives to increase energy efficiency,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

“We have made remarkable achievements in the investment and development of solar energy projects. Clean energy production capacity in Dubai has reached 2,327 megawatts (MW) using photovoltaic and CSP technologies at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world, which is about 15.7% of Dubai’s energy mix. Our Research and Development Centre supports our efforts to harness Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, satellite network communications, the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to improve the efficiency of the PV panels at the solar park. DEWA’s Innovation Centre also promotes innovations in clean energy technologies, spreads knowledge, and invests in clean energy innovations through strong partnerships with universities, organisations and start-ups,” added Al Tayer.

A lineup of renowned featured keynote speakers, top notch experts and researchers will participate in the six topical areas of the conference and take part in the themed and innovative panel discussions. These include Lawrence L. Kazmerski; Professor and NREL Emeritus Fellow, University of Colorado Boulder, USA; Mohammad. K. Nazeeruddin, Professor and Molecular Engineering Laboratory Director Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland; Shanhui Fan, Professor and Senior Fellow, Stanford University; Mowafak Al Jassim, Principal Scientist and PV Group Manager National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), USA; Steven Ringel, Professor and Associate Vice President, Ohio State University, USA; and Xiaojing Hao, Professor and ARC Future Fellow. University of New South Wales, Australia, along with other experts worldwide.

“Besides hosting prestigious specialised speakers from around the world, the conference presents research papers on a wide range of topics, including unconventional and new concepts for future technologies; silicon photovoltaic materials and devices; Perovskite and organic materials and solar cells; PV module and system reliability in MENA region; solar resources for PV and forecasting; and power electronics and grid integration,” said Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA.

Those interested in attending the MENA Solar Conference can submit their applications to present their research papers and scientific findings through this link: https://mbrsic.ae/en/mena-sc. DEWA’s call for papers is open until 1 June 2023. The conference will take place in conjunction with the Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show (DSS) 2023, which is organised by DEWA and is considered the largest exhibition of water, energy, sustainability and innovation technologies in the region and one of the largest specialised exhibitions in the world.