DUBAI, UAE – Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has inaugurated the 900 megawatt (MW) fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
This will be the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030.
The fifth phase of the project will provide clean energy to around 270,000 residences in Dubai, reducing 1.18 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
With a total investment of US$13.6 billion (AED50 billion), based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, the Solar Park is expected to reduce 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually when fully completed.
Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Second Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Media Council; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE); and Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, attended the inauguration.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was welcomed at the Solar Park in Seih Al Dahl, by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said, “The UAE is at the forefront of global efforts to create a more sustainable future for all of humanity by taking concrete action to transition to renewable energies and combat climate change.”
He said, “In 2023, the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, and the year in which we are hosting COP28, we continue to place sustainability at the heart of our development plans and make new strides in shaping a truly environmentally friendly economy.”
He added, “The completion of the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park takes us another major step closer to realizing our vision for an economy fully powered by clean energy.”
Sheikh Mohammed said, “Aligned with the UAE’s vision, Dubai has developed a clear strategy and pathway to achieve its targets of generating 25 percent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.”
He said, “Dubai is resolute in its commitment to becoming one of the most sustainable cities in the world, with diverse initiatives. The rapid progress of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project is yet another example of our strong ethos of public-private partnerships.”
He added, “Such partnerships play a key role in driving sustainable economic development, building a world-class renewable energy infrastructure and creating a diverse environment-friendly energy mix in the emirate.”
Sheikh Mohammed said, “Apart from benefiting the environment, our sustainability initiatives also contribute to our plans to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top urban economies and enhance the well being and quality of life of our citizens and residents.”
Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by Al Tayer about the fifth phase of the solar park.
DEWA has implemented this phase using the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies with Single Axis Tracking to increase energy production and the plant’s efficiency.
The US$544 million (AED2 billion) project, implemented based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, features a partnership between DEWA (60 percent) and a consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation (40 percent) through Shuaa Energy 3.
DEWA achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of $1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the fifth phase.
Sheikh Mohammed was also briefed by Al Tayer about the phases of the solar park and the technologies used in the project.
The total capacity of the solar energy projects commissioned at the solar park has reached 2,427MW from photovoltaic solar panels and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).
The total capacity of the projects under construction at the solar park is 433MW from CSP.
DEWA has increased the share of clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix to about 16.3 percent of its total installed capacity, which has reached 14,917 MW.
Al Tayer said, “It is also in line with and in support of the UAE hosting the largest international climate event, which is the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28) in Expo City Dubai later this year.”
He said, “We have made rapid progress in achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy to provide 100 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.”
Mohammad Abunayyan, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of ACWA Power said, “Today, we are delighted to celebrate with our long-standing partner DEWA as we inaugurate the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park ahead of schedule alongside our partners Gulf Investment Corporation and the EPC contractor Shanghai Electric.”
He said, “Our objective for Shuaa Energy 3 has been to achieve the highest technical and operational standards every step of the way, setting the record for the lowest solar tariff globally in 2020 and deploying advanced technologies such as bifacial solar panels and automatic cleaning robots.”
He added, “ACWA Power has adopted a comprehensive program and implemented ongoing initiatives to improve safety culture and achieved zero Lost Time Injury (LTI) throughout the project construction.”
Abunayyan said, “At ACWA Power, we are proud to support Dubai and the wider region’s clean energy ambitions and will continue to set new records in renewable energy development not just regionally but on a global scale.”
ACWA Power has worked on previous phases of the solar park.
The 200MW photovoltaic second phase of the solar park developed by ACWA Power was launched in March 2017.
Meanwhile, a consortium led by DEWA and ACWA Power formed a project company, Noor Energy 1, to design, build and operate the 950MW fourth phase.
CEO of Gulf Investment Corporation Ibrahim AlQadhi said, “We are delighted to co-develop renewable energy and infrastructure projects in the UAE.”
He said, “The fifth phase of the solar park, based on the (IPP) model, is considered to be a pioneering project as it uses state of the art clean power generation solutions that contribute to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050.”
In 2020, DEWA achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of US$1.6953 per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the fifth phase, which included over 6.8 million safe working hours.
The fifth phase was completed ahead of schedule (June 2023 instead of December 2023) despite the implementation having commenced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fifth phase is one of the first projects in the Middle East to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as part of an advanced robotic cleaning system for the operation and maintenance of photovoltaic panels.
The total area of the fifth phase is approximately 10 square kilometers, which is half of the total area of the 800MW third phase.