Dubai has launched one of the world’s largest waste-to-energy facilities at Warsan, aiming to eliminate landfill dependency and power over 135,000 homes.
Operational since 2024, the Waste-to-Energy Centre processes up to two million tonnes of municipal waste annually, converting it into 220 megawatts of renewable power per hour. The project stands as a cornerstone in Dubai’s clean energy roadmap, aligning with the emirate’s ambitions under the Dubai Urban Master Plan 2040 and Economic Agenda D33.Led by the Waste and Sewerage Agency at Dubai Municipality and executed through a public-private partnership that includes Dubai Holding, Dubal Holding, Japan’s ITOCHU Corporation, Hitachi Zosen Inova, and BESIX Group, the facility reflects a strategic blend of global technology and local governance. According to Adel Al Marzouqi, CEO of the Agency, the Warsan project is critical in transitioning Dubai into a circular economy, reducing landfill use and repurposing waste into a dependable, clean power source. The city now targets a complete landfill shutdown by 2027, reinforcing its shift from legacy waste management practices to resilient ecological frameworks.
Beyond energy conversion, the municipality is concurrently steering two of the region’s most ambitious infrastructure overhauls in sewerage and stormwater systems. The AED80 billion Dubai Strategic Tunnels for Sewerage Project has wrapped its tendering phase and is expected to modernise sewage systems while addressing the environmental impact of wastewater discharge. Designed to cope with future urban growth, the network is essential for ensuring public health, managing climate-related risks, and maintaining operational standards in a city with surging population density.Simultaneously, Dubai’s ‘Tasreef’ project—its AED30 billion rainwater drainage system—is underway to serve 90% of the urban landscape. Construction has begun across nine localities with a contract value of AED1.439 billion awarded in April 2025. When completed by 2033, Tasreef will be one of the most technologically advanced systems of its kind in the Middle East, significantly lowering flood risks in critical zones such as Al Maktoum International Airport.
Dubai Municipality’s comprehensive approach demonstrates how climate resilience and infrastructure planning can converge. These projects are not isolated upgrades but are part of a long-term urban recalibration that ensures utilities can support the city’s evolving energy, waste, and water demands. They embody the new direction of modern cities: cleaner, greener, and equipped to handle the pressures of tomorrow.The human angle is equally significant. With more than 135,000 homes set to benefit from clean energy, these developments are not only environmental milestones—they’re a direct enhancement to the quality of daily life. The measures also promote equity by ensuring that modern infrastructure reaches even the most climate-vulnerable areas, making sustainable living a universal benefit rather than an elite privilege.As global cities battle the dual crises of climate change and urban overcrowding, Dubai’s model offers a replicable path forward—where waste becomes a resource, infrastructure becomes intelligent, and city planning integrates climate justice at every stage.
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Dubai bets on waste to energy for future
