Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has reached a new milestone in its renewable energy journey. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park now delivers 3,860 megawatts (MW) of clean energy. This progress raises the share of clean sources to 21.5% of DEWA’s total production capacity.
The park uses both photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies to power Dubai sustainably. Its latest expansion, the sixth phase, added 800MW, significantly advancing the emirate’s energy goals.
Aligning with Dubai’s Vision for 2050
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, stated that this progress reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The solar park supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050. These initiatives aim for 100% of Dubai’s energy to come from clean sources by mid-century.
Al Tayer added, “By 2030, the solar park will reach a capacity of 7,260MW. At that point, clean energy will make up 34% of DEWA’s mix and cut carbon emissions by about eight million tonnes per year.”
The World’s Largest Single-Site Solar Project
Since its start in 2013 with just 13MW, the solar park has expanded through multiple phases:
- 2017: 200MW second phase introduced under the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.
- 2020: 800MW third phase launched with PV technology and single-axis tracking.
- 2023: 950MW fourth phase combined CSP and PV, with a 100MW solar tower and 600MW parabolic basin.
- 2023: 900MW fifth phase added with PV panels.
- 2024–2025: Sixth phase (1,800MW) currently in development.
DEWA has also invited global firms to bid for the seventh phase. It will feature 1,600MW of PV capacity and a 1,000MW/6,000MWh battery storage system. This phase—expandable to 2,000MW—will rank among the world’s largest solar-plus-storage projects and further improve grid stability. It will also follow the IPP model.
