Abu Dhabi Municipality office begins switch to solar energy

The Abu Dhabi Municipality, from Wednesday evening started using solar energy to light up certain sections of its head office on Salam Street.

The production of electricity from solar energy is at a rate of 100KW/H, a statement from the municipality said.

The project is part of a three-phase integrated programme of power management and production using environment-friendly methods in keeping with the municipality’s overall strategy aiming to rationalise electricity consumption and enhance sustainability standards in all municipal buildings.

Phase-I of the Integrated Power Management Project started in March 2010 and was completed in October last year. The project included establishing the principles and standards of power demand management by studying the patterns of power consumption with the aim of saving consumption rates and patterns within the premises of the Municipality.

Phase-II was intended to implement the deliverables of the previous study and turn them into workable programmes and projects capable of saving electrical power consumption and boosting consumption efficiency.

The last episode of the project, Phase-III, which started last September, was basically concerned with production of electricity from solar energy, and included carrying out a series of experimental tests, practical measures and inspections.

Salah Awadh Al Sarraj, Acting Executive Director of Town Planning Sector, said: “The energy management and production programme based on using alternative methods will bear fruits this week to mark the initial operation of electrical power generation using solar energy, which epitomises the Municipality’s commitment to provide alternative clean, natural, and environmental methods in generating electrical power using solar energy through utilising all rooftops of the buildings of the Municipality.”

Al Sarraj said the programme, which is derived from the Municipality’s vision of “ensuring superior quality of life and sustainable environment for Abu Dhabi residents” is aimed at enhancing sustainability standards and curbing environmentally harmful gaseous emissions such as carbon dioxide, and strengthening the positive effects by raising consumers’ awareness of using and saving power in the fields of renewable energy and sustainable development.

The municipality has committed itself to an electricity consumption reduction plan over the next years. It has already reduced its power consumption between 2009 and 2010 by 8 per cent out of the total targeted consumption reduction rate of 25 to 30 per cent upon completion of all episodes of the project which has now been translated into applied programmes based on the results of Phase I of the programme.