- The study was conducted by UN Environment Program and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) India
- Ahmad Bin Shafar highlighted Dubai’s unique District Cooling model at the launching ceremony
Dubai, UAE: The report of the National District Cooling Potential Study for India, sponsored by Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the world’s largest district cooling services provider, was launched at a virtual ceremony organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), the national coordinating agency for the UNEP’s “District Energy in Cities Initiative” in India.
In his speech delivered before the participants at the report launch meeting held under the theme ‘The transition to sustainable cooling solutions – a step towards a low carbon economy’, Ahmad bin Shafar, CEO of Empower reviewed Dubai’s pioneering experience in district cooling and the tremendous gains it has made with its huge investments in this industry, which represents a sustainable environmentally friendly solution, an essential means for rationalizing energy and water consumption and an important step in the transition to green economy.
The CEO appreciated the UNEP and EESL for initiating to conduct such studies in India on district cooling sector comprehensively from the point of assessing the overall potential, evaluating barriers and policy frameworks, evaluating business models, which reflects the transformation of the landscape of various technologies and recognizing India’s efforts towards a low emission-economy.
As an advisor and an ardent supporter of India in implementing environmentally friendly district cooling systems, Empower funded for conducting this study. Empower is one of the main partners of the United Nations in its global initiatives for transforming the cooling sector to energy efficient solutions and has partnered by sharing technical knowhow and expertise in the assessments of the Indian cities Rajkot, Pune, Thane and Coimbatore.
India Government had launched the National Cooling Action Plan in 2017 and District Energy Systems (DES) has been taken up in it as one of the converging technologies for space cooling. Empower stressed that Dubai, the lead in taking advanced steps in the area of district cooling, never saves an effort to share its long experience in the environmentally friendly district cooling systems with any country around the world.
In the wake of the landmark 2016 Paris Agreement on combating climate change and encouraging action towards a sustainable low-carbon future, and the United Nations’ adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, several new initiatives emerged to bring sustainability issues and district cooling sector to the top of the policy makers’ agenda.
Dubai is at the forefront of taking the District Cooling sector to its next level. The recent Resolution issued by HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and the Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to establish a legal framework for district cooling services in Dubai increase the pace of penetrating this energy efficient solution in the city. The decision also aims to regulate the relationship between all the parties involved in the district cooling service industry, and to contribute to the implementation of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy. This is done by promoting energy-saving means in the field of air conditioning and cooling and contributing to the protection of the components of the environment and the development of natural resources by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and encouraging the green economy growth to achieve sustainable development in Dubai and enhance the operational performance of district cooling systems.
Bin Shafar explained to the participants how the UAE in general, and Dubai in particular, represent a global example in terms of developing this industry and improving its performance through advanced modern and innovative technologies that enabled it to lead the whole world in district cooling industry, in terms of quantity and quality.
The District Energy in Cities Initiative is a multi-stakeholder partnership coordinated by UN Environment Programme. As one of six accelerators of the Sustainable Energy of All (SEforAll) Energy Efficiency Accelerator Platform, the Initiative is supporting market transformation efforts to shift the heating and cooling sector to energy efficient and renewable energy solutions.
Empower provides district cooling services to more than 1,252 buildings, catering to more than 140,000 customers, with a total cooling capacity of 1.64 million Refrigeration Tons (RT). The Company offers eco-friendly district cooling services to a number of high-profile developments, such as Dubai Waterfront, Bluewaters, Dubai International Financial Centre, Jumeirah Lake Towers, Palm Jumeirah, Discovery Gardens, Ibn Battuta Mall and many others.
