HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Launches First Project of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

Under the patronage and in the presence of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy inaugurated today the first project of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a major project overseen by the Supreme Council of Energy and supervised and managed by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The event was also attended by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council and His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy, in addition to officials from government departments in Dubai and members of the press. Delivering a speech on behalf of the Supreme Council of Energy, HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Vice Chairman of the Supreme Council of Energy and MD and CEO of DEWA thanked HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai for inaugurating the first project. “On behalf of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and myself, I am delighted to welcome Your Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, for honouring us by inaugurating the first project of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a valuable addition to Dubai’s ambitious projects in various fields, particularly in the field of sustainability, renewable and alternative energy,” said Al Tayer. “In January 2012, the world saw Your Highness launch the Dubai Programme for Renewable Energy and announce the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the largest renewable-energy projects in the region, with a production capacity of 1,000 MW when completing all its phases by 2030. Today on the 22nd of October, which marks World Energy Day, we meet here to celebrate the delivery of your promise through the completion of the first project and its commissioning.” “Your remarkable vision and steady guidance has provided a roadmap for these ambitious initiatives and development projects to realise the ‘UAE Vision 2021,’ which aims to make the UAE one of the best countries in the world by 2021 and strengthen Dubai's position as a global hub for trade, finance and tourism and a model for the world in achieving the highest standards of energy efficiency and renewable energy use,” added Al Tayer. “The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a key factor in achieving the Green Economy for Sustainable Development initiative launched by Your Highness with the aim of building a green economy in the UAE and achieving sustainable development. The solar park offers plenty of promising investment opportunities that strengthen energy partnerships and investments between the public and private sectors, as the future phases of the Solar Park will produce renewable energy based on the independent power producer model.” “We celebrate the harvest of our hard work in our efforts to implement our strategy for diversifying the energy mix in Dubai by increasing the production of solar energy to provide 1% of Dubai’s total power output by 2020 and 5% by 2030 as we inaugurate the first project today. This will produce 13MW of energy through photovoltaic technology, linking the plant to DEWA’s network, which spans the whole Emirate. The project was completed with the participation and financing of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and under the supervision and management of DEWA,” continued Al Tayer. “Since the start of the project, we have maintained the highest international standards in technology, health, safety and environment. The workforce totalled 1,285 staff, whose workload exceeded 1.4 million hours, with no accidents recorded and the project was delivered on schedule.” “The plant uses photovoltaic technology and is the biggest of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. It uses pioneering technologies represented by over 152,000 photocells connected to 13 step-up transformers in inverter buildings. The output voltage is transformed to 33 kilovolts and generates over 24 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. It also decreases CO2 emissions by 15,000 tonnes annually.” “The inauguration of this first project of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, coincides with World Energy Day, endorsed by Your Highness along with 54 countries in the world, in addition to the United Nations, the Arab League and the African Union, in the “Dubai Declaration of Energy for All” on 22 October 2012 where this day was declared as World Energy Day to remind us of the importance of energy, its role in our life, and positive impact on our economic and social development, and the fulfilment of all our needs and is an important factor in empowering and combating poverty,” explained Al Tayer. “Today, Dubai is gearing up to host Expo 2020, with the announcement date of the winning city just 36 days away. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a pioneering project in sustainability, not only as a centre for solar energy production but also for its inclusion of a Research, Development and Innovation centre for supporting renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency. It also will serve as an academy for renewable energy, to foster new capabilities and prepare generations to come.” “We are moving forward the implementation of our development projects in support of Dubai Government’s strategy and the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 to meet the growing demands for energy, which will achieve sustainable development in the Emirate.” “His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid has shown us that, “Success is not a destination, but a journey. Each time that you reach a summit on this journey, you must look ahead to the next one.” This is the future for Dubai, which centred around your vision and strategy. When we make one achievement, we then look for others. As we inaugurate today the first phase of the project, we will start work on another that will be based on the independent power producer model based on a partnership between the public and the private sectors.” “The UAE and Dubai has impressed the world with its remarkable achievements and will continue to do so to always be at the forefront to achieve prosperity for the country and happiness for its citizens. We look forward to the next new gathering to mark another new achievement,” concluded Al Tayer