Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has launched its “DEWAVerse” platform on the Metaverse and was the first local government organization to launch its platform on the Metaverse to offer its services to customers, employees and members of society. DEWA invests in Metaverse technology to implement and develop its current and future projects, contributing to stakeholder satisfaction, business development, increased efficiency and production, and reduced costs.
This was announced during DEWA’s Digital Transformation Steering Committee meeting, which McKinsey also attended and presented the Digital Quotient Assessment 2022 report, which highlighted DEWA’s assertion of its position as the world’s leading digital utility provider.
“We at DEWA are striving to improve our use of Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies, including the Metaverse, which is a key pillar and a new way of working in all major sectors, to use this technology to find new opportunities and innovative solutions provide Accelerated growth to strengthen Dubai’s position regionally and globally. This helps to realize the vision and guidelines of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai to benefit from the digital technologies and artificial intelligence to improve performance promote and improve people’s quality of life.
This also promotes the Dubai Metaverse Strategy launched by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, which aims to make Dubai one of the top 10 global metaverse economies as well as a global hub for the Metaverse community to increase their success in this space,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA.
During the meeting, seven projects using Metaverse technology were reviewed. This includes the Customer Service Center, the first of its kind onsite, which allows customers to communicate with Customer Care Center agents to answer their queries and complete transactions in the virtual world. DEWA Workplace enables users to move around the DEWA buildings and hold meetings in the virtual world. The DEWA Future Lab allows users to hold brainstorming sessions, discuss challenges and develop the best solutions using innovation tools in the virtual world. First Aid and Fire Safety provides a virtual introduction to first aid and fire safety procedures. MetaDrone collects information about solar panels, repairs them and creates reports using VR. DEWA Onboarding enables new employees to learn about DEWA’s vision and mission virtually.
DEWA was one of the first government entities in Dubai to 100% complete the intelligent transformation of all their services in 2014. Among DEWA’s major milestones on its journey is the launch of Google Glasses in 2014, which represented a new shift in the quality of the services provided. The app was specially developed for the needs of DEWA to monitor any disruptions at their stations. In 2016, DEWA adopted Microsoft’s HoloLens technology to improve its operations and increase productivity. DEWA was the first government organization to introduce this technology to power and water supplies. DEWA also began using Smart Helmet & Smart Glasses (DAQRI) in 2017, which work with virtual reality technology to assist engineers in power plants.
DEWA organized the 22nd Water, Energy, Technology and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show (DSS) in 2020 for the first time in the MENA region via a virtual 3D platform. The exhibition enabled visitors and exhibitors to participate without having to travel. In addition, DEWA made a virtual reality studio and self-service available to its employees. The studio provides DEWA employees with simulated training in first aid, safety procedures and fire safety, as well as an overview of DEWA, its projects, strategy and the services it provides to employees and customers.
In 2021, DEWA also launched a Virtual Reality generation, production and distribution project for Energy and Water, which includes a 3D experience of 132/11 kV substations, an interactive training test and a simulation and visualization model for multiple devices and equipment in the distribution provides network. In 2022, DEWA launched a digital guide and virtual orientation tour using augmented reality at its Innovation Center in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
