Dubai's solar park to power 540,000 homes

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has assessed the ongoing development of the 1,800MW 6th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model

The project, with an investment of approximately US$1.485bn (AED 5.5bn), aims to supply clean energy to around 540,000 homes and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 2.36 million tonnes each year. Spanning 20 square kilometers, this phase has recorded the lowest Levelised Cost Of Energy (LCOE) at US$1.6215 cents per kWh.

Al Tayer received updates on the 6th phase from officials of Shuaa Energy 4, a company formed by DEWA in collaboration with Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), with DEWA holding a 60% stake and Masdar the remaining 40%.

DEWA is advancing the 6th phase of the solar park using the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies with single-axis tracking under the IPP model.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, recognised as the world’s largest single-site solar park, is set to surpass 5,000 megawatts capacity by 2030, backed by an estimated investment of approx. US$13.5bn (AED 50bn). These projects are pivotal to achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, targeting a 100% clean energy share in Dubai’s total power capacity by 2050.

Presently, the solar park boasts a production capacity of 2,860MW, with an additional 1,800 MW under construction. The completion of the 1,800MW sixth phase will elevate the total production capacity to 4,660MW by 2026. By 2030, DEWA anticipates that clean energy sources will contribute approximately 27% to the generation mix.

During the review, Al Tayer was joined by Waleed Bin Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, along with other officials from the authority.