His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, oversaw the signing of a deal between the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Masdar for the construction and operation of the 1,800 megawatt (MW) Phase 6 of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The agreement amounts to AED 5.51 billion.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said: “This phase will power over half a million residences while reducing carbon emissions by 2.36 million tonnes annually. All phases of this landmark project are expected to be completed by 2030, with a total investment of Dhs50bn. We’re on track to achieve our ambitious goal – 100 per cent clean energy for Dubai by 2050.”
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry & Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar, and COP28 President-Designate, along with Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, put pen to paper on the agreement in Abu Dhabi.
UAE’s prominent clean energy leader
Dr Al Jaber said: “Being awarded this landmark renewable energy project on the world’s largest single-site solar park is another significant milestone. It is a testament to our track record in pioneering clean energy projects as we continue to support the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative.”
“Ahead of our nation hosting COP28 later this year, it is vital that the world triples global renewable energy capacity by 2030 to keep the ambition of 1.5 degrees within reach. This landmark project demonstrates definitive action in our shared journey towards a cleaner, greener future.”
Al Tayer said: “We are committed to achieving a balance between development and environmental sustainability across social, economic and environmental plans. This underscores the UAE’s prominent status as one of the world’s largest investors in clean and renewable energy projects. It also affirms our support for the UAE’s hosting of the COP28 at Expo City Dubai, aligning our strategies and policies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 in sustainability, innovation and future-making.”
The sixth phase of the solar park to yield major benefits
The current combined solar project production capacity at the solar park stands at 2,427MW. DEWA is in the process of constructing another project with a total capacity of 433 MW.
Upon the completion of the sixth phase, which will generate 1,800MW, the solar park’s overall production capacity will increase to 4,660MW, according to Gulf Business.
Once completed, this phase will provide clean energy to approximately 540,000 homes and result in an annual reduction of 2.36 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Through phase 6, DEWA has achieved the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE) at $1.6215 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), the lowest among all of DEWA’s solar-independent power producer (IPP) model projects to date.
Upon full completion, the solar park will annually reduce carbon emissions by over 6.5 million tonnes. The 1,800MW sixth phase will commence operation in stages starting from Q4 of 2024.
