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Etihad Water & Electricity allocates EV fund

16 January 2025

Etihad Water & Electricity (Etihad WE), the UAE federal utility company, has announced the allocation of AED465m ($126m) for the rehabilitation of the water network across the UAE’s Northern Emirates, including AED214m for Ras Al-Khaimah.

Yousif Al-Ali, Etihad WE’s chief executive, added that “further significant funds” have been allocated to install approximately 120 electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Ras Al-Khaimah. This is part of an overall plan to build and provide up to 1,000 fast and accessible EV chargers across the UAE by 2030.

Etihad WE, along with Ras Al-Khaimah (RAK) Municipality and RAK Public Services Department, announced the planned investments and project updates on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week on 15 January. 

Al-Ali noted that more than AED180m has been “invested to date” in the emirate’s smart meter project. This project includes installing more than 213,000 smart meters for electricity and water in Ras Al-Khaimah to enhance consumption monitoring and encourage more efficient resource usage.

Water rehabilitation

Etihad WE has also led efforts to reduce water consumption by implementing advanced monitoring systems and successfully replacing 42 kilometres of ageing pipelines in Ras Al-Khaimah with newer, more efficient technology, including SmartBall technology and acoustic inspection tools.

These technologies, along with an advanced leak detection system, help reduce water loss and ensure a more reliable supply.

Etihad WE has also invested in building reverse osmosis (RO) technology-based water desalination plants to decarbonise the water production process, and plans to invest more. 

Al-Ali said new RO plants can reduce water production emissions by up to 60%, while replacing old water network infrastructure can further reduce emissions.

Building and transport

Raed Hilles, director of strategy and development at RAK Public Services, said the municipality has achieved savings of 15% in electricity bills through the retrofit of government buildings and a 40% reduction in bills through the retrofit of treated sewage effluent production facilities.

With over 1,000 fleets of light and heavy vehicles, RAK Public Services also reduced its fuel consumption by 25% by replacing old vehicles and installing a new tracking system that guides drivers to their destinations using more efficient routes. 

“We are happy to collaborate with Etihad WE, especially in the areas of data sharing as well as tariffs to incentivise lower resource consumption and promote sustainability,” Andrea Di Gregorio, executive director of energy efficiency and renewables at RAK Municipality, said.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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