Dubai on track to achieve 2050 clean energy goal

Dubai is on track to achieve 75 per cent of the emirate’s total power output from clean energy by 2050, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, said as he announced the launch of a new phase of the world’s largest solar site park on Tuesday.

Taking to Twitter, Sheikh Mohammed said the first stage of the 900MW fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park would be able to power 90,000 homes with a capacity of 300MW.

By the end of 2021, Dubai’s clean energy capacity will increase to 13.3 per cent of its total energy mix.

Implemented by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, the solar park is the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned total capacity of 5,000MW by 2030 with investments totaling Dh50 billion. When completed, it will save over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

The fifth phase investments amount to Dh2.058 billion, according to Dewa.

“Our goal for the project is 5,000MW before 2030,” Sheikh Mohammed said, adding that clean energy in Dubai would account for 13 per cent before the end of the year.

The UAE Vice President commended the “new model of energy production” adopted in partnership with the private sector in Dubai.

“We have attracted investments worth Dh40 billion from the private sector to produce energy in Dubai,” he said, noting that the investments were the result of high confidence in the emirate’s economic future.

During his visit to the site, Sheikh Mohammed was accompanied by Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai; Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Media Council; Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy: and Mohammed Ibrahim Al Shaibani, Director General of His Highness The Ruler’s Court of Dubai.

In November 2019, Dewa named a consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation as the Preferred Bidder to build and operate the fifth phase of the park using photovoltaic (PV) solar panels based on the IPP model.

To implement the project, Dewa established Shuaa Energy 3 in partnership with the consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation. Dewa owns 60 per cent of the company, and the consortium owns the remaining 40 per cent.

The fifth phase will provide clean energy to over 270,000 residences in Dubai, including 90,000 residences by the commissioned first stage, and will reduce 1.18 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. To be commissioned in stages until 2023, the fifth phase uses the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies with Single Axis Tracking to increase energy production.

Sheikh Mohammed also launched a project to study the feasibility of generating electricity by utilising wind energy in Hatta.

“At Dewa, our strategy and plans are guided by the vision and directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to promote sustainability, innovation and the shift towards a green sustainable economy. The project to generate electricity using wind power is part of our efforts to diversify clean and renewable energy sources in Dubai,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

“Commissioning the 300MW first stage of the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park increases DEWA’s total capacity of clean energy to 1,310MW. This brings clean energy capacity in Dubai’s energy mix to around 10 per cent. Dewa’s production capacity has increased to 13,200MW of electricity and 490 million imperial gallons of desalinated water per day (MIGD).

By the end of 2021, clean energy capacity will increase to 13.3 per cent of Dubai’s total energy mix after adding 517MW from solar photovoltaic panels and CSP in the fourth phase of the solar park. These include 100MW from the world’s tallest CSP tower at 262.44 metres, 200MW from the first project of the parabolic trough, and 217 MW using photovoltaic solar panels,” said Al Tayer.

Mohammad Abunayyan, chairman of ACWA Power, said the Saudi company is at the forefront of global efforts in progressing the energy transformation.

Ibrahim AlQadhi, CEO of Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC), said his firm was pleased to participate in the development of Phase V together with Dewa and ACWA Power. “GIC is a leading investor in energy projects with over $11billion in investments in the sector and intends to continue to play a major role in utilities projects in the Arabian Gulf region,” AlQadhi said.

— issacjohn@khaleejtimes.com