Dubai to get 600MW additional clean energy this year

An additional 600 megawatts (MW) of clean energy capacity using photovoltaic solar panels and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) will be added to the emirate’s energy production capacity this year.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (DEWA) total power capacity from clean energy will increase to 1,613MW, compared to 1,013MW currently.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA said that next July, DEWA will commission the 300MW first stage of the 5th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

It will also commission the world’s tallest CSP tower at 262.44 metres with a capacity of 100MW in September and 200MW from the parabolic trough as part of the fourth phase of the solar park by the end of 2021. DEWA will therefore add 300MW from solar photovoltaic panels and 300MW from CSP.

Clean energy is expected to account for 12 per cent of Dubai’s overall production by the end of 2021, and 10 per cent by July.

.@DEWAOfficial to add an additional 600MW of clean energy capacity to #Dubai’s energy mix in 2021https://t.co/wNERWOyO7m pic.twitter.com/rPDgpYwg2W

— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) June 13, 2021

“The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is one of DEWA’s key projects to achieve this vision and increase the share of clean and renewable energy capacity in Dubai’s energy mix. This supports the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to provide 75 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050,” said Al Tayer, according to the Dubai Media Office.

DEWA’s has carried out major projects in cooperation with the private sector, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. Through this model, DEWA received the lowest solar energy prices (Levelised Cost of Energy) globally five consecutive times. Waleed Salman, executive vice president of Business Development and Excellence at DEWA, explained that the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site investment project that combines CSP and photovoltaic technology using the IPP model. It is rated for 950MW with investments up to Dhs16 billion. This phase is characterised by the largest thermal energy storage capacity in the world of 15 hours, which allows for energy production round the clock. DEWA has reportedly attracted investments of around Dhs40bn from the IPP model.

DEWA also received the lowest global bid of $1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour for the 900MW fifth phase using the latest solar photovoltaic bifacial technologies, with Single Axis Tracking to increase energy production.

Earlier this month, DEWA confirmed that its installed capacity has reached 12,900MW of electricity and 490 million imperial gallons of desalinated water per day.

According to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, the emirate seeks to ensure that 75 per cent of its total power capacity is obtained from clean energy sources by 2050.

Read: Dubai’s electricity capacity reaches 12,900MW