First Fire at Dubai’s WtE Facility

The moment witnessed by the Crown Prince of Dubai

BESIX and Hitachi Zosen Inova (HZI) announced a significant milestone in the Dubai Waste-to-Energy (DWE) project with the successful ignition of the first fire at the DWE facility. This achievement represents a crucial step towards completing and operating the plant, demonstrating the efficient and safe processing of waste to generate renewable energy.

The DWE facility welcomed His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council, who personally witnessed this pivotal moment. The visit underscores the project's importance and serves as a testament to Dubai's commitment to sustainability, innovation, and the pursuit of excellence.

BESIX oversees civil, infrastructure, fire-fighting, and ancillary works for the project while HZI takes charge of the process-related work, leveraging their cutting-edge technologies and expertise to convert municipal solid waste efficiently and safely into clean energy.

The DWE facility, the world’s largest and most efficient waste-to-energy facility, aims to reduce landfill dependency and help Dubai achieve its goal of 75 per cent waste diversion by 2025. Currently in its commissioning phase, the DWE facility processes 1,000 tonnes of waste daily. Energy production on two lines is set to commence this August. The project aims to be fully operational across all five lines in Q1 2024.

At its peak, the plant will process 5,666 tonnes of waste daily, equivalent to 2 million tonnes annually. This will generate 220 MW of electricity, supplying power to roughly 135,000 homes in the region. From the residual ash produced during combustion, metals will be recovered and recycled for commercial use. The facility's construction adheres to the highest standards of engineering, efficiency, and environmental sustainability. Once completed, a joint venture between HZI and BESIX will provide operation and maintenance services for 35 years under an agreement with Dubai Municipality.

Benoit Vadani, Vice-President, Director Development, BESIX, said, “We are immensely honoured to have His Highness witness the successful ignition of the first fire. This momentous achievement was made possible by the efficient collaboration between BESIX and HZI, along with Dubai Holding, DUBAL, Tech Group, and ITOCHU. All parties take great pride in working together towards our shared objective.”

Roni Araiji, Managing Director Middle East, Hitachi Zosen Inova, said, “HZI stands as a global leader in sustainable energy and environmental solutions. This facility represents a remarkable collaboration to tackle pressing waste management challenges and generate clean energy for the region. The successful ignition of the first fire serves as a testament to our system's capability to convert waste efficiently and safely into renewable energy.”