Dh1.2 billion solar plant to power 50,000 homes in Dubai

Dubai - The plant will reduce 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year with its solar panels.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) on Monday inaugurated the second phase of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which will generate clean energy for 50,000 houses in Dubai.
Coinciding with International Happiness Day, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, launched the second phase, which generates 200MW of clean energy, ahead of its April schedule.
Although the plant is about one per cent of the overall solar park, which is set to power 800,000 homes by 2030, officials said it will help maintain the fuel surcharge-rate added to Dewa monthly bills which varies based on fuel costs.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dewa, said the utility currently serves 750,000 customers, expecting to reach one million in the next two years as a five per cent increase in customers is seen annually.
"Our electricity tariff, which costs about 19fils on first stage, is already cheaper than Europe that reaches about 90fils in the UK for example. Today's plant will ensure the surcharge (6.5 fils/kWh) does not increase with fuel prices," said Al Tayer on the sidelines of the inauguration.
The Dh1.2 billion plant will reduce 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions a year with its 2.3-million photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. It was a result of 1.5 million safe man hours of more than 1,100 employees involved.
When completed, the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will be the largest single-site solar energy project in the world, with a planned total production capacity of 1,000MW by 2020 and 5,000MW by 2030. It will reduce over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually. 
The Independent Power Producer (IPP) model project, the region's first which took less than 360 days to complete and was opened ahead of its launching day, was led by Saudi Arabia's Acwa Power, with Spain's TSK providing EPC services and the US' First Solar providing solar panels for the project.
The project serves as part of its Clean Energy Strategy, under which Dubai is looking to have seven per cent of its total power output from clean energy sources by 2020, followed by 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050.
Dubai to exceed goals
Al Tayer noted that Dubai will exceed its goals by generating 10 per cent of its total power from clean energy by 2020, thanks to its initiative Shams Dubai - solar panel installation on rooftops - that is expected to save about 300MW in the next three years.
Since its inception, Shams Dubai has saved 130MW with 40MW still under construction and 8MW already connected to Dewa grid, noted Al Tayer.
He said Dewa has so far succeeded in generating solar power in the UAE through different strategies and investments has proven efficiency as surcharge has not increased for the past four years.
"It means we were able to produce energy not related to fuel and with decrease in unit cost," he said.
The park's 13MW first phase was launched in October 2013, contributing to reducing carbon emissions. The project generates over 28 million KwH of electricity annually and has decreased carbon emissions by 15,000 tonnes annually.
The third phase, led by Abu Dhabi's Masdar to develop 800MW, will be implemented in stages until 2020. It achieved a world record low tariff of $2.99 cents per kilowatt under a competitive bidding process.
For the fourth phase, Dewa is working to build the largest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project in the world. The 200-megawatt first phase will be operational by April 2021 through which Dewa will generate 1,000MW by 2030. The tender for it will be open in the next two months.
The second phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park
> The plant will generate 200MW, enough to power 50,000 homes
> It will reduce 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions reduced annually
> Investment cost of Dh1.2 billion
> Built with 1.5 million safe man hours without lost time injury
> More than 1,100 manpower contributed to the plant
> The plant installed 2.3 million PV solar panels over 4.5 square kilometers.
> The 200MW phase is part of the solar park that is set to generate 1,000 megawatts by 2020 and 5,000 megawatts by 2030, enough to power 800,000 homes
sherouk@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai