H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid inaugurates 5th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park…reports Asian Lite News
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has inaugurated the 900 megawatt (MW) fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world with a planned capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030.
The fifth phase of the project will provide clean energy to around 270,000 residences in Dubai, reducing 1.18 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually. Featuring a total investment of AED50 billion, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, the Solar Park is expected to reduce 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually when fully completed.
H.H. Sheikh Mohammed said: “The UAE is at the forefront of global efforts to create a more sustainable future for all of humanity by taking concrete action to transition to renewable energies and combat climate change. In 2023, the UAE’s Year of Sustainability, and the year in which we are hosting COP28, we continue to place sustainability at the heart of our development plans and make new strides in shaping a truly environmentally friendly economy. The completion of the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park takes us another major step closer to realising our vision for an economy fully powered by clean energy.
“Aligned with the UAE’s vision, Dubai has developed a clear strategy and pathway to achieve its targets of generating 25 per cent of its energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050. Dubai is resolute in its commitment to becoming one of the most sustainable cities in the world, with diverse initiatives.”
“The rapid progress of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project is yet another example of our strong ethos of public-private partnerships. Such partnerships play a key role in driving sustainable economic development, building a world-class renewable energy infrastructure and creating a diverse environment-friendly energy mix in the emirate. Apart from benefiting the environment, our sustainability initiatives also contribute to our plans to consolidate Dubai’s status as one of the world’s top urban economies and enhance the wellbeing and quality of life of our citizens and residents.”
Sheikh Mohammed was briefed by Al Tayer about the fifth phase. DEWA has implemented this phase using the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies with Single Axis Tracking to increase energy production and the plant’s efficiency.
The AED2 billion project, implemented based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, features a partnership between DEWA (60%) and a consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation (40%) through Shuaa Energy 3. DEWA achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of $1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the fifth phase.
The total capacity of the solar energy projects commissioned at the solar park has reached 2,427MW from photovoltaic solar panels and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). The total capacity of the projects under construction at the solar park is 433MW from CSP. DEWA has increased the share of clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix to about 16.3% of its total installed capacity, which has reached 14,917 MW.
The inauguration of the 900MW fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park supports the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to provide 100% of Dubai’s power production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050. In 2020, DEWA achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of USD 1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for the fifth phase, which included over 6.8 million safe working hours. The fifth phase was completed ahead of schedule (June 2023 instead of December 2023) despite the implementation having commenced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The fifth phase is one of the first projects in the Middle East to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) as part of an advanced robotic cleaning system for the operation and maintenance of photovoltaic panels. The total area of the fifth phase is approximately 10 square kilometres, which is half of the total area of the 800MW third phase.
