The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that the share of renewable energy in Dubai’s Energy mix has increased to nearly 9%. This exceeds the target set in the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to provide 7% renewable energy out of the total power output by 2020 and 75% by 2050.

Speaking about the plans and a shift toward renewable energy, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said, “The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is one of DEWA’s prominent projects to achieve this vision. Since its launch, the solar park projects have received considerable interest from global developers, which reflects the confidence of investors from around the world in DEWA’s major projects.”

According to Al Tayer, DEWA’s total installed capacity is 11.7 GW, which includes 1.01 GW of solar energy from the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The total capacity of the projects under construction at the park is 1.85 GW from concentrated solar power, and it plans to reach 5 GW by 2030.

“We recently signed the power purchase agreement for the 900 MW fifth phase of the solar park with a consortium led by ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation. The total investments of the project exceed AED 2 billion (~$544.5 million). The project achieved a new record by receiving the lowest international bid of $0.017 (~₹1.28)/kWh using solar panels based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model,” added Al Tayer.

The first phase of the solar park with a capacity of 13 MW became operational in 2013, and it contributes to reducing 15,000 tons of carbon emissions annually. Similarly, the second phase of 200 MW, which became operational in 2017, reduces 214,000 tons of carbon emissions annually. Notably, the third phase of the project, which has a capacity of 800 MW, uses a single-axis solar tracking system, which is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa.

The fourth phase of the project is the world’s largest single-site project that combines concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic technology. This project will feature the world’s tallest solar tower at 260 meters and will also have the biggest thermal storage facility of 15 hours.

The fifth phase of the project will provide energy to 270,000 households in Dubai and will reduce 1.18 million tons of carbon emissions annually. This project will use the latest bifacial technologies and will be commissioned in stages starting in Q3 of 2021.

Last year, DEWA had floated a tender for 900 MW of solar projects based on the IPP model. The projects came under the fifth phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Seih Al-Dahal, located south of the city of Dubai.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia’s energy giant ACWA Power had quoted the lowest tariff bid at less than ~$ 0.017 (~₹1.28)/kWh for this 900 MW of solar projects.