Completed significant LED lighting overhaul on Dubai Metro, resulting in significant energy savings
Dubai Metro's LED Lighting Upgrade Delivers Substantial Energy Savings
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has completed the second phase of its energy optimization program, marking a significant step towards achieving its goal of reducing power use by 30% by 2030.
The highlight of this phase is the upgrade of the Dubai Metro's lighting system, replacing 12,768 light fixtures with energy-efficient LED units. This initiative, which began in 2021, has seen both phases completed, with a total of 19,968 LED lights installed along the Red and Green Lines.
The LED fixtures convert approximately 95% of the electricity they consume into light, with only 5% lost as heat. This high efficiency has resulted in substantial energy savings. Over two years, the Dubai Metro's LED lighting upgrade has saved roughly 16.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, generating cost reductions of about AED 7.6 million (around $2 million USD) and a cut in carbon emissions by roughly 7,055 tonnes of CO2 during the same period.
This LED conversion aligns with Dubai's broader sustainability goals, including energy optimization in urban infrastructure. The RTA integrates such technology as part of the city’s smart and green initiatives.
In addition to the LED lighting project, the RTA has installed solar systems at 22 of its buildings and facilities. These include bus depots in Al Quoz, Al Khawaneej, and Al Ruwayyah; passenger bus stations in Al Satwa and Oud Metha; metro depots; and maintenance workshops in Al Muhaisnah. The solar installations are expected to produce about 32 million kilowatt-hours annually, preventing 10,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Muna Al Osaimi, CEO of the RTA's Corporate Strategy and Governance Sector, stated that the authority's energy-saving initiatives are key to its sustainability drive. These initiatives, which also include measures to save fuel and water, have already shown impressive results. In 2024, 37 energy-efficiency initiatives across the RTA's operations saved 128 gigawatt-hours of electricity, 36 million liters of fuel, 16 million imperial gallons of water, and reduced emissions by 148,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
These measures align with Dubai's Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, underscoring the RTA's commitment to Dubai's broader sustainability goals. The RTA is working towards achieving net-zero emissions in public transport by 2050.
Sources:
[1] Dubai Media Office. (2022, May 29). RTA completes second phase of energy optimization program. Retrieved from https://www.dubaimediaoffice.ae/en/news/rta-completes-second-phase-of-energy-optimization-program
[2] Dubai Media Office. (2023, January 20). RTA saves 128 GWh of electricity, 36 million liters of fuel in 2024. Retrieved from https://www.dubaimediaoffice.ae/en/news/rta-saves-128-gwh-of-electricity-36-million-liters-of-fuel-in-2024
[3] Dubai Media Office. (2021, December 21). RTA completes first phase of LED lighting project on Dubai Metro. Retrieved from https://www.dubaimediaoffice.ae/en/news/rta-completes-first-phase-of-led-lighting-project-on-dubai-metro
- The RTA's accomplishments extend beyond LED lighting, as they have also installed solar systems in various buildings and facilities, contributing to renewable energy and carbon emission reduction goals in the environmental science and energy industry.
- In line with Dubai's Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, the RTA aims to achieve net-zero emissions in public transport by 2050, aligning with the city's broader sustainability objectives in sectors such as finance, technology, and industry.
- Besides energy-efficient LED lighting and solar energy projects, the RTA's sustainability drive includes initiatives to save fuel and water, thereby demonstrating a holistic approach to climate-change mitigation and policy-making in modern environmental-science practices.
- The RTA's ambitious energy-efficient initiatives, which have already demonstrated significant cost savings and environmental benefits, serve as a testament to the authority's commitment to Dubai's long-term sustainability objectives and global best practices in urban development and transportation.
