Dubai’s DEWA confirms that solar park’s phase 2 is 80% complete

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that the second phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is nearing completion.

Up to 80 per cent of phase two is complete as of mid-December, DEWA said in a statement.

To date, 75 per cent of the 2.2 million photovoltaic panels have been installed.

When fully ready in April 2017, the second phase of the park will generate 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

The project occupies 4.5 square kilometres with an investment of about Dhs1.2bn.

It is based on the Independent Power Producer model (IPP) with DEWA the majority shareholder at 51 per cent.

Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and the Spanish industrial group TSK hold the remaining stake.

DEWA set a world record by obtaining the lowest price globally for the second phase, at a price of $5.6 cents per kilowatt hour (kw/h).

The utility said it is working closely with Shuaa Energy 1 to ensure that the second phase of the park is operational by April 2017. Shuaa Energy 1 is a company established by DEWA to complete the project according to UAE legislation.

“All projects included in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park adhere to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to transform Dubai into a global centre for clean energy and green economy,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA.

“The strategy sets the target to generate 5,000MW of solar power by 2030. Clean energy will generate 7 per cent of Dubai’s total power output by 2020, 25 per cent by 2030, and 75 per cent by 2050.”

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, with a planned capacity of 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030, and a total investment of Dhs50bn ($13.6bn).

It will eventually save approximately 6.5 million tonnes per annum in emissions.

The park will also be connected to the World Expo site, providing it with 200MW of power, according to DEWA.

It will also include an Innovation Centre, which will act as a museum, exhibition and convention centre for solar and renewable energy. It is expected to attract tourists, universities, schools, companies, and partners.

The centre will be open to solar energy manufacturers and developers, and has a specialised and permanent convention centre for events, conferences, training and meetings on green initiatives.

The building covers 4,000 square metres, is 90 metres high, and consists of five floors. It will be built by 2017.