Ahmad bin Shafar: The leadership's great decision yielded human, social and economic gains

Dubai, UAE, December 13, 2020: Emirates Central Cooling Systems Corporation (Empower), the world's largest district cooling services provider, announced its readiness for the immediate interaction to implement the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to increase the percentage of renewable and clean energy in the Dubai's energy mix. The announcement also coincides with the decision issued by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, to reduce the additional fuel surcharge for electricity and water.

The reduction in the additional fuel surcharge on electricity and water will be benefitted to more than 140,000 customers of Empower and the total annual reduction in the district cooling charges for company’s customers is estimated as more than 48 million dirhams as per the data of December 1, 2020. According to Empower, all customer segments such as, master developers, owners, and end-users can reap the advantage, in all types of projects that Empower provides with its district cooling services, including residential and commercial buildings, shopping centers, hospitals, schools, and many others.

Dominating with 76% of Dubai's district cooling industry, Empower affirmed that the fruits and gains of the wise leadership's decision vary and go through many human, social and economic fields, and contribute to achieving lofty goals in the short and long terms.

Ahmad Bin Shafar, CEO of Empower and Chairman of the District Cooling Operators Association, said: 'The immediate gains of the decision of the wise leadership are reflected in providing a comfort life to the residents of Dubai, reducing the living expenses for them, and reaching the highest levels of their satisfaction and happiness.”

He added that the decision would boost up the demand for District Cooling in the existing and upcoming projects, being an environmentally friendly solution and the fastest system to guarantee sustainability as it contributes to huge savings in energy for cooling. Empower is one of the most prominent organizations locally, regionally and internationally in the district cooling industry and has succeeded in promoting green practices in all sectors of Dubai, and is occupied to create the required balance between economic development and reducing carbon emissions.

In order to achieve the most valuable goal of making Dubai the city with the least carbon footprint in the world, translating the directives of the wise leadership aimed at achieving the outcomes of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the UAE Vision 2021, and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which seeks to increase the share of clean energy in the total energy mix to 50%, the National Climate Change Plan 2017-2050, and the long-term national initiative to build a green economy in the UAE under the ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai that were credited with the UAE’s occupation of advanced global positions in the new green economy based on rationalizing energy consumption and preserving natural resources for future generations, through the implementation of national strategies, including the UAE Centennial 2071.