Power of the sun to light up 240,000 Dubai homes

The third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai — one of the largest solar projects in the world — will provide clean energy to over 240,000 residences in Dubai.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) built the third phase of the solar park using an 'Independent Power Producer' (IPP) model in partnership with a consortium led by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and EDF Group, through its subsidiary EDF Énergies Nouvelles, with an investment of Dh3.47 billion.

The facility is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region to use single-axis solar tracking to increase energy generation. It also uses other innovative technologies, including cleaning robots for photovoltaic panels to increase the plant’s efficiency.

Dewa recorded a world record in the cost of photovoltaic solar power for this phase of the solar park, at a Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) of 2.99 cents per kilowatt-hour, using the IPP model. The authority established Shuaa Energy 2 with a 60 per cent stake in the company. Masdar has 24 per cent and EDF Énergies Nouvelles, 16 per cent.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world. With a planned total capacity of 5,000MW by 2030, it features an investment of Dh50 billion. The total capacity of operational projects at the Solar Park, which uses photovoltaic solar panels, is 1,013MW. Dewa is creating an additional capacity of 1,850MW using solar panels and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).

waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai
• Abu Dhabi