It is one of the biggest issues worldwide, electricity shortage. There are parts of India that have had these issues for a very long time. I remember Mangalore used to be without electricity for close to 8 – 10 hours a day. However, I have never really faced it here in Dubai, there was never a day without electricity. Oh wait there was this blackout in Jul 2005, I remember but for a few hours, caused a whole load of chaos. But otherwise there has not really been an issue with electricity.

Off late, Sharjah, the neighboring emirate to Dubai has had major issues with the blackouts, there have been major complaints from the residents that this blackout during the summer time is really bad. With the financial situation in the region and the country in general being difficult how is this going to effect Dubai and Abu Dhabi; the two biggest emirates with Sharjah. Dubai in general seems to be the place with the biggest issues out of the two.

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Dubai

One thing I think that the middle east will regret especially Dubai is not investing in alternative energy sources when the market was booming. Being in a desert means that there is an abundance of solar energy that is just waiting to be harnessed. But not too much of it has been done in Dubai. It could be an expensive oversight, however looking at the available sources and the increase in population it might very well happen that Dubai might go into a mode where the mode of charging for electricity changes. At the moment people living in Dubai pay more for electricity as it is. And if the situation gets more difficult then Dubai might get into charging people in a pay as you go manner. Tenants in many high-rise buildings in Dubai are charged a flat fee regardless of how much energy and water they consume.

During the construction phase, many of the property developers did not think it was worthwhile installing individual meters for power. or air conditioning and that seems like the oversight of the municipality to allow them to do so. In the long run this has meant that individual metering is not possible hence this issue. The way users are charged for district cooling services and electricity in these buildings also does little to encourage savings.

However, its not too late, I think there is a huge market for retrofit solutions in metering chilled water as well as electricity. Hopefull there is a solution around the horizon, otherwise very soon we might have some blackouts here as well.

Abu Dhabi

Well Abu Dhabi on the other hand is taking things more logically, like one of my friends keeps telling me. Abu Dhabi is learning from the mistakes from Dubai. Everything that Dubai sort of over sighted, Abu Dhabi is picking up on. First of all Masdar and the entire sustainability agenda, where not only are they attempting to build the worlds first and only carbon negative city (consume more carbon than created) but also working full steam to work out different power generating techniques that are completely sustainable. Like the largest solar powered electricity station, or wave power off shore the Abu Dhabi mainland.

Keeping that agenda going, The Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC), which supplies electricity to the city and surrounding areas, will have installed digital electricity meters in all buildings by the end of this year. The new meters not only calculate power usage, but also allow consumers to sell their own solar-generated electricity back to the grid. Two other changes are under consideration by the Abu Dhabi Executive Council: a subsidy scheme for rooftop solar panels and the first increase in power prices in 15 years.

The proposed changes are the key planks in the Abu Dhabi Government’s strategy to generate 7 per cent of electricity from solar power and other clean energy sources by 2020, which will in turn cut greenhouse gas emissions.  A traditional meter records a customer’s continuous usage, which can be read at intervals, usually of a month. The new digital meters can be monitored to show consumption peaks and troughs throughout the day. They will also allow  residents to sell energy back to the grid from their solar roof panels.

What do I think ?

Abu Dhabi looks like most prepared for any sort of growth amongst the three emirates of Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi. But having said that there is a long way to go. From construction of the largest power plant in the world right upto the the smart meters, there are various steps that are going on and will lead the way to a good sustainable future in Abu Dhabi, but if Dubai and Sharjah were to be prepared for the future they should most certainly adapt some concepts from Abu Dhabi.

Being in Dubai for the last 6 years, I did not really think I would ever say that.