Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) announced it achieved the targeted energy efficiency performance indicators last year and reduced its energy consumption in all operations and projects by an impressive 18 percent.
The figure was in comparison to the average consumption from 2016 to 2019. RTA also managed to reduce the total emissions by 13 percent and energy costs by 10% during the same period.
The achievement has led to a direct saving of AED85 million ($23.2 million).
Apart from a decrease in total energy consumption by 18 percent, the RTA Energy Analysis Report 2021 showed gasoline consumption reduced by 36 percent. This drop is attributed to the increased use of hybrid and electric taxis by Dubai Taxi Corporation. There has been a 15 percent decrease in diesel consumption, despite an increase in the public bus fleet.
Mattar Al Tayer, Director General, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, RTA, said: “Sustainability is a key pillar of RTA’s strategic goals and objectives, and it has become deeply rooted in our corporate performance. Protecting the environment, optimising the use of energy, reducing carbon emissions, and ensuring assets sustainability have become priorities.
“RTA has a well-defined roadmap that aims to achieve zero-emission from public transport in Dubai by 2050. In the process, RTA is becoming the first government entity in the Middle East and North Africa to develop an integrated roadmap targeting public transport and its infrastructure.
“RTA has carried out a process to upgrade its old fleet of buses to replace them with modern buses equipped with eco-friendly Euro 6 engines compatible with the highest specifications for carbon emissions.”
Projects and initiatives
In 2021, RTA implemented 36 energy and green economy initiatives, resulting in record savings of AED85 million, 68 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, 55 million gallons of water, 21 million litres of gasoline, 1.8 million litres of diesel, and a reduction of approximately 86 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent. It also diverted about 450,000 tons of waste from landfill through effective waste management practices.
“RTA has accomplished over 95 percent of green economy initiatives and projects, and future directions are guided by a range of factors, including soft and shared mobility, sustainable transport, circular economy, self-driving vehicles for passengers and goods, and developing services based on customer needs and future skills,” concluded Al Tayer.
The year saw the official operation of the Dubai Metro Route 2020 Project, which serves densely populated districts inhabited by 270 thousand residents and visitors. RTA also completed a number of road and bridge projects, highlighted by constructing roads spanning 138 lane-kilometres with nine flyovers to serve Expo 2020 Dubai.
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