DEWA, Masdar to expand world’s biggest solar park in Dubai

ALBAWABA - The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company Masdar signed an agreement on Monday to build and operate the sixth phase of the world's biggest solar park in Dubai, news agencies reported.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, in Dubai, is the biggest single-site solar park in the world.

In its current fifth stage, the world's biggest solar park in Dubai will be able to produce 2,863 Megawatts of power, according to the figures reported by Gulf Business for each stage of the project. As of September 2023, the current energy capacity of the park stands at 2,427 megawatts, Arabian Business reported.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, witnessed the signing of an agreement between Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company pic.twitter.com/nV10s4mP1G

-- DEWA | Official Page (@DEWAOfficial) September 6, 2023

The park is running at 16.3% of the total installed capacity, according to Zawya.

The next stage, six, will add 1,800 megawatt to the solar park's capacity, Gulf Business reported. And by the year 2030, all phases of the solar park are expected to be done, at a total cost of $13.61 billion (AED50 billion), producing a total of 4,663 megawatts.

Overall, by 2026, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will reduce 6.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually per year, the news agency reported.

The expansion project, phase six, will cost around $1.5 billion (AED5.5 billion), UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid said, as reported by Arabian Business.

"This phase [six] will power over half a million residences while reducing carbon emissions by 2.36 million tonnes annually," the premier said.

UAE Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid attends the signing ceremony of the sixth phase between DEWA and Masdar for the world's biggest solar park in Dubai - Twitter

Reportedly, phase six of the world's biggest solar park in Dubai will become operational in stages as of the end of 2024.

"We're on track to achieve our ambitious goal - 100 percent clean energy for Dubai by 2050," the ruler of Dubai said.

The agreement was signed in presence of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE and Minister of the Presidential Court; General Sheikh Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs; and Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Minister of Cabinet Affairs.