Dubai’s DEWA studying the development of floating solar plants

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is studying the possibility of developing floating solar plants in the Arabian Gulf.

The authority has issued a request for proposal for appointing consultants to study, develop and construct floating solar photovoltaic plants, it revealed on Sunday.

The consultancy services include a feasibility study, the technical requirements for a floating solar photovoltaic plant, an environmental impact assessment report and a study of the marine requirements.

It will also cover other necessary studies on setting up electrical transmission, a safety plan, and seawater feasibility studies including tidal and system specifications, and system performance, a statement said.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of DEWA, said: “Floating photovoltaic systems are one of the most prominent emerging technologies that rely on installing solar photovoltaic systems directly above water.”

The initiative supports the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to diversify the energy mix to provide 75 per cent of Dubai’s total power output from clean energy by 2050.

This will require a production capacity of 42,000MW of clean and renewable energy by 2050.

DEWA has already launched several projects to achieve these objectives, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world, based on the Independent Power Project model. With an investment of Dhs50bn, the park has a planned capacity of 5,000MW by 2030.

Read: Dubai’s DEWA says 300MW phase of mega solar park will be operational next month