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FAQs

Why was Empower set up?

Empower's mission is to provide energy-efficient services to support the economic development in Dubai. Empower is keen to promote energy efficient practices that will be key to its progress in the coming years.

What are Empower’s plans for expansion beyond the U.A.E?

Empower has plans to expand beyond U.A.E and would enter markets like Oman, Qatar and Bahrain in the near future.

What is the difference between Empower and the other Dubai Holding company Dubai Energy?

Dubai Energy will focus on building a diversified global energy investment portfolio and further strengthening regional and international alliances. Dubai Energy will concentrate on strategic opportunities that will broaden trade relationships and play a pivotal role in developing importance of Dubai and the UAE in the dynamic global energy landscape. Empower on the other hand is a utility company that provides energy-efficient services in Dubai and the region.

Why haven't I heard of district cooling?

You may not have heard of district cooling, yet these systems operate in many major cities in the world, and on most of large campuses. Many people may not be familiar with district cooling because it quietly does its job – with rarely a crisis to report. Plus, the pipes that deliver the chilled water are usually buried beneath the streets, so most people don’t know they are there.

What are the potential cost saving when using district cooling?

The district cooling systems have a power consumption of about 0.9 to 1.0 KW/ton as against to 1.5 to 1.7 KW/ton for traditional air cooled chillers and split/packaged units. The capital cost for individual buildings is substantially reduced as the major equipment like chillers are no longer required. The maintenance and operational costs for individual buildings are substantially reduced as the major equipment such as chillers are centralized.

Is District Cooling reliable?

Building owners and managers can count on district cooling systems since energy professionals operate around-the-clock and have backup systems readily available. Most district cooling systems operate at a high rate of reliability.

Why is District Cooling environmental friendly?

District cooling helps the environment by increasing energy efficiency and reducing environmental emissions including air pollution, the greenhouse gas (GHG) carbon dioxide (CO2) and ozone-destroying refrigerants. Most Middle Eastern governments are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. With most countries in the region having extremely high GHG emissions per capita, this issue will become increasingly important for government policy.

District cooling can reduce annual CO2 emissions by about 1 ton for every ton of district cooling refrigeration demand served. The envisioned district cooling potential in the Middle East (cumulative total of 2.9 million tons of refrigeration demand by 2015) could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 2.8 million tons annually.