Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | MD&CEO visits Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), visited the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world based on the Independent Power Producer model (IPP). The solar park has a planned capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030, and a total investment of AED 50 billion and will eventually save approximately 6.5 million tonnes per annum in carbon emissions. 

The solar park supports the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to promote sustainability and transform Dubai into a global hub for clean energy and green economy, through the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, so that 7% of Dubai’s total power output will come from clean energy by 2020, 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050.

Nasser Lootah, Executive Vice President of Generation, Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development & Excellence, and Jamal Shaheen Al Hammadi, Vice President of Special Projects were also present.

At the beginning of the visit, Al Tayer inaugurated the Visitors’ Centre, which was built by Shuaa Energy 1, as part of the 200 MW second phase of the solar park, inaugurated in March. Mohammad Abdullah Abunayyan, Chairman of ACWA Power, welcomed Al Tayer during the visit.

The centre includes a reception hall for VIP guests. It includes the latest SCADA and smart monitoring systems, It also includes a room to view all the solar park’s projects. Representatives from Shuaa Energy 2 briefted Al Tayer on the progress of the third phase of the solar park, which was established by DEWA, which owns a 60% stake in the company. Shuaa Energy 2 was launched in partnership with the Masdar-led consortium, and Électricité de France (EDF), through its subsidiary EDF Energies Nouvelles. The consortium owns the remaining 40% of Shuaa Energy 2. Masdar owns 24% and EDF Energies Nouvelles owns 16%.

The international consortium led by the renewable energy contractor GranSolar from Spain, is handling the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC). It includes Acciona from Spain and Ghella from Italy. The first 200MW stage is 70% complete, and is expected to be operational by April 2018. The 800MW third phase will be completed in 3 stages over 16 square kilometres. The 300MW second stage will be operational in the first half of 2019, and the third 300MW stage will be completed in the first half of 2020. DEWA registered the lowest Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) worldwide of USD $2.99 cents per kilowatt hour (kW/h) for the third phase of the solar park.