Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy chairman, has asked Dubai’s district cooling firms to reduce the fuel surcharge for electricity from 6.5 to 5 fils per kilowatt hour, and water from 0.6-to-0.4 fils per imperial gallon. The companies were instructed to fully implement the reduction in customers’ bills.

The move follows the directives of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to increase the share of renewable and clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix.

“District cooling supports the objectives of the Carbon Abatement Strategy to reduce carbon emissions, which achieved great success in 2019. More than 14m tonnes of emissions were reduced last year, a 22% reduction compared to business as usual. Results achieved exceeded the targets set in the Dubai Carbon Abatement Strategy, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 16% by 2021,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Council vice chairman.

The decision to reduce surcharges supports the council’s Demand Side Management Strategy 2030, which aims to reduce demand for electricity and water by 30% over the next decade, Al Tayer explained.