Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has invited bids to develop the 1.5 GW Khazna solar power project in Abu Dhabi.

The scope of work will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of the project and associated infrastructure.

The last day to submit the bids is October 2, 2023.

The project will follow the independent power project program of Abu Dhabi, where developers enter into a long-term power purchase agreement with EWEC as the sole procurer of electricity.

Once fully operational, the greenfield solar power project will generate enough electricity for approximately 160,000 homes across the United Arab Emirates. It is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 2.4 million metric tons per year, equivalent to removing approximately 470,000 cars from the road.

The project’s development aligns with the company’s plan to build additional renewable energy projects that increase its total solar power generation capacity to 7.3 GW by 2030.

“Solar energy is an integral pillar of EWEC’s strategy in transitioning our portfolio to a low-carbon system and decarbonizing electricity production. We continue to strategically invest in developing world-leading renewable projects that significantly accelerate our journey to meeting 60% of Abu Dhabi’s total power demand from renewable and clean energy sources by 2035 and actively contributing to achieving the UAE’s sustainability objectives,” said Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC.

EWEC also plans to commission at least two additional 1.5 GW solar projects, in line with its vision to add an average of 1 GW of solar capacity per year for the next decade.

In January, EWEC invited bids to develop the 1.5 GW solar power project in the Ajban area of Abu Dhabi.

Earlier, the UAE government-owned renewable energy company Masdar signed agreements with Angola, Uganda, and Zambia to develop renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of up to 5 GW to help African nations make the energy transition.