Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 19 May 2021 – GAC and TotalEnergies Distributed Generation Middle East and Africa are celebrating a year since the solar project at GAC’s Dubai South contract logistics facility has been commissioned. Since then, it has generated 5 million kilowatt-hour (kWh) of renewable electricity, exceeding the forecast 4.2 million kWh and reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 2,000 tonnes. Following this first success, GAC and Total Solar DG have two other projects in the pipeline to be completed by the end of the year.
The 2.7 megawatt-peak (MW) solar-powered rooftop and a viewing platform were installed 20 metres off the ground on GAC’s Dubai South contract logistics facility, one of the highest buildings in the area, near Al Maktoum International Airport.
“At GAC, we seek to integrate sustainability with our business strategy and are continuously looking for ways to mitigate our impact on the environment,” says Neil McMaster, GAC Dubai’s General Manager – Contract Logistics. “This is more than just good intentions; we are taking multiple steps, from offsetting our paper use with tree planting to renewing our fleet and major solar projects. We want to conduct our business responsibly, creating long-term value for the company, our customers and the communities in which we operate in. The solar project has greatly reduced our carbon footprint and will continue to do so in the decades to come.”
This is just one of several milestones in GAC and Total Solar DG’s partnership. Following the success of the first installation, a second 2.60 MW project is in progress at the GAC Logistics Park in Jebel Ali Free Zone due to be completed in July. A third 2.87MW solar rooftop project for another site in Jebel Ali Free Zone is scheduled for completion in the later part of 2021.
This partnership with Total Solar DG Middle East is helping to reduce GAC facilities carbon footprint to enable it to build a more sustainable future in Dubai. When completed, the three projects will result in a cumulative reduction of approximately 5,600 tonnes of CO2 per year.
This solar project is in line with the GAC Group’s sustainability efforts, one of which is its recent joining of the Global Maritime Forum's Getting to Zero Coalition, an alliance of more than 140 companies from the maritime, energy, infrastructure and finance sectors working to accelerate the decarbonisation of shipping by developing and deploying zero emission vessels (ZEVs) by the end of the decade.
“We are proud to build this long-term partnership with GAC and honoured to have their trust in the Total Solar Distributed Generation Middle East team to continue developing projects for their facilities across Dubai,” says Marin de Montbel, Managing Director, Total Solar Distributed Generation Middle East. “With the Middle East being a major market for Total, we look forward to supporting the growth of the UAE through clean and sustainable solutions. This project is proof of our active contribution to the development of solar energy in the country.”
About Total Solar Distributed Generation Middle East
Total Solar Distributed Generation (DG) Middle East is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Total dedicated to the development of distributed solar energy solutions, including solar-powered rooftops, carport and ground-mounted solar power plants. Active since April 2018, Total Solar DG is one of the major international providers of fully integrated solar solutions for commercial and industrial customers in the region. https://www.totalsolarme.com/en
About Total
Total is a broad energy company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is more affordable, more reliable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major.
Total Solar Distributed Generation Middle East Contacts
Media Relations: +971 54 388 6525 l [email protected]
About GAC Group
GAC is a global provider of integrated shipping, logistics and marine services. Emphasising world-class performance, a long-term approach, innovation, ethics and a strong human touch, GAC delivers a flexible and value-adding portfolio to help customers achieve their strategic goals.
Established since 1956, the privately-owned group employs around 8,000 people in more than 300 offices worldwide.
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