Hamdan bin Mohammed launches first phase of AED4 bn Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan

DUBAI, 4th July, 2023 (WAM) – H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, launched the first phase of the Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan, the world’s largest and most efficient waste-to-energy plant. Featuring advanced technologies that do not have any adverse environmental impact, the facility was built at a cost of AED4 billion.
H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed said Dubai continues to accelerate its transition to a green economy by building a world-class clean energy infrastructure. Guided by the vision of Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to transform Dubai into one of the world’s most sustainable cities, the emirate has steadily expanded its capacity to produce energy from renewable sources.
“The start of the operations of the Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan takes Dubai another step closer to achieving its strategy to create the world’s best sustainable ecosystem. We are committed to building a better future for future generations by ensuring our ambitious economic development programmes maintain the highest standards of sustainability and environmental preservation,” said HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.
“The new Waste to Energy Centre has a comprehensive, eco-friendly waste management system that integrates global sustainability benchmarks,” His Highness added.
His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed watched the Centre’s first waste-to-energy conversion operations, which leave no environmental footprint. Two of the plant’s five lines have been operationalised, which currently process about 2,300 tonnes of solid waste daily. The sophisticated process employs steam pressure to create rotational energy that powers the generator to produce electricity. At present, the facility generates about 80 MWh of renewable energy. With the opening of its second phase, the facility’s output is set to expand to 220 MWh, which translates to 5,280 MWh daily.
He was received at the Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan by Mattar Al Tayer, Commissioner-General of the Infrastructure, Urban Planning and Wellbeing Pillar, and Dawood Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality.
He was briefed about the Centre, the largest facility of its kind in the world in terms of operational capacity. His Highness also toured the facility that has the capacity to treat around 2 million tonnes of solid waste annually to generate power that can meet the needs of more than 135,000 housing units. Built on an area of 400,000 square metres, the Centre has five production lines that have the capacity to treat 5,666 tonnes of waste per day.
The Dubai Waste-to-Energy Centre will make significant contributions to Dubai’s efforts to enhance environmental sustainability and mitigate climate change by reducing 2,400 tonnes of carbon emissions annually by diverting waste from landfills. It will also help raise the share of clean energy sources in Dubai’s energy mix. The facility converts daily waste equivalent to that generated by 3 million people into energy and uses recycled water to produce the steam required to power the centre’s electricity-generating turbine.
By creating a solid base for a smart, sustainable, and environmentally friendly waste collection, management and treatment system, the Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan supports the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to derive 75% of Dubai’s energy needs from clean sources by 2050 and transform the city into a global clean energy and green economy hub by 2050.
The new facility also contributes to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the objectives of the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference COP 28 and the UAE’s Year of Sustainability by minimising the volume of solid waste directed to landfills, cultivating alternative sources of clean energy, and upgrading the waste management system in Dubai.
The Centre also seeks to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Master Waste Management Plan 2021-2041 aimed at applying global best practices in integrated waste management, providing a safe work environment to encourage promising investments, creating new competitive opportunities in waste management in Dubai, and undertaking long-term projects that offer practical solutions to environmental challenges in line with Dubai’s sustainable economic development agenda.
The Centre also supports the Circular Economy Policy 2021-2031, a comprehensive roadmap for realising the leadership’s vision to transform Dubai into a global model for circular economy practices through the sustainable management and effective use of natural resources and the adoption of eco-friendly consumption and production techniques and technologies. Further, the new Centre seeks to enhance the efficiency of natural resource consumption, reduce waste and environmental stress and raise environmental wellbeing.
The Waste-to-Energy Centre in Warsan was built in partnership with a consortium of five local and international private sector companies, which include Dubai Holding, Dubal Holding, Itoshu, Hitachi Zosen Innova, and Besix Group.
Mattar Al Tayer said: “Broadening the scope of sustainable solutions for the treatment of waste and converting it into energy has become a strategic priority. It contributes to accomplishing Dubai’s development objectives in line with the highest sustainability standards.”
“The world’s largest and most efficient waste-to-energy conversion facility, the Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan will further enhance Dubai’s status as the globe’s best place to live and work. The facility will help propel economic growth in the emirate while maintaining global health and environmental standards,” added Al Tayer.
Dawood Al Hajri said: “The Waste to Energy Centre in Warsan is a manifestation of our fruitful collaboration with the private sector. Apart from being an ambitious investment, it reflects Dubai’s profound understanding of environmental and sustainability imperatives.”
“At Dubai Municipality, we strive to employ advanced solutions and technologies to raise sustainability and environmental protection. By adopting the best technologies for converting waste into energy without any negative environmental impact, we aim to provide electricity that can power tens of thousands of homes. The construction of the final phase of the Waste to Energy Centre project, which commenced at the beginning of 2020, will be completed in 2024,” added Al Hajri.
The Centre employs the latest Japanese and Swiss technologies in waste management and waste-to-energy processes. All emissions are thoroughly treated using a textile filter made up of 12,480 cylindrical filter bags. The Centre also implements comprehensive measures to eliminate any odours resulting from waste management.
Once its two phases are completed, the project will generate 220 MWh of power. Out of this, 35 MWh will be used to run the Warsan Wastewater Treatment Plant, and 20 MWh will be directed to power the Waste to Energy Centre. The project will also use 2,760 cubic metres of recycled water from the Warsan Wastewater Treatment Plant, enhancing the sustainability of the project and raising the efficiency of resource utilisation.
The Centre has the capacity to accommodate around 133 waste trucks per hour, which can deliver their loads through 27 gates in less than 15 minutes.
Earlier this year, Dubai Municipality signed an agreement with the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) under whose terms the latter will buy energy from the Waste to Energy Centre for 35 years for distribution to end users.