New record-breaking solar plant announced for Abu Dhabi

A new solar project has been announced for Abu Dhabi that will eclipse the record-breaking Noor Abu Dhabi plant, which began operation earlier this week.

Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Climate Meeting on Sunday, the Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, said: “I am excited to announce a new 2 gigawatt (GW) solar project in Al Dhafra region here in Abu Dhabi. This will eclipse the record-breaking 1GW Noor Abu Dhabi plant.”

No further details were given by the minister.

Noor Abu Dhabi is currently the world’s largest single solar project, with a capacity of 1,177 megawatts. The start of its commercial operation was announced on Saturday, a day before the Climate Meeting opened on Sunday.

Read World’s largest solar project starts operation in Abu Dhabi

The Dhs3.2bn solar plant in Sweihan, Abu Dhabi, will increase the emirate’s production of renewable energy and reduce the use of natural gas in electricity generation. The resulting efficiencies will reduce Abu Dhabi’s carbon dioxide emissions by 1 million metric tonnes per year – the equivalent of removing 200,000 cars from the road, according to Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC).