Four hundred and thirty-five buildings in Dubai have already installed photovoltaic panels on their roofs and generated a total capacity of 15.6 megawatts of power since the Shams Dubai initiative was launched in 2015, said the Gulf News in an editorial on Saturday.

"This is brisk progress, and as initiatives go, Shams Dubai has set the bar high for its innovativeness and inclusivity. By encouraging all sections of society to become shareholders in generating solar energy, thus supporting the government’s Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, Dubai has set into motion the most productive collaboration between people and policies.

"Every individual and every corporate entity, small, medium or big, is being encouraged to harness solar energy, cut down on their energy consumption bills, and if producing a surplus, export it to the Dubai Water and Electricity Authority, DEWA, to enjoy a commensurate reduction in their bill. And all along, they will be plugged into the Dewa grid. It’s the kind of return on investment model that guarantees a win-win outcome," the English language daily continued.

The paper went on to say that the boost in the clean energy mix that Dubai seeks in incremental leaps from 2020 to 2030 to 2050, by when it hopes to generate 75 percent of its total power output through clean sources, will find its momentum in precisely these kinds of programmes because, any positive change that powers the progress of a nation finds its top speed in collective will.

"As the need for societies to pursue clean energy as the no-alternative plan becomes more critical by the year, Dubai, with its characteristic foresight, has already set the pace with Shams Dubai, an integral aspect of Smart Dubai. And it’s heartening to see how it is empowering its people along on this journey to a sustainable future," the Dubai-based daily concluded.