Solar energy
This page provides information about the various solar power plants and projects in the UAE.
Al Dhafra Solar PV
Al Dhafra Solar PV is the world’s largest single-site solar power plant.
The 2GW Al Dhafra Solar PV plant was inaugurated in November 2023. It was built in a single phase.
Al Dhafra Solar PV spans more than 20 square kilometres of desert and uses almost 4 million solar panels, which deploy innovative bi-facial technology.
Quick facts
- The plant capacity is 2GW.
- It will displace 2.4 million tonnes of carbon dioxide.
- It will power approximately 200,000 homes.
- Upon completion, this project will be the largest solar power plant in the world.
- It deploys the latest in crystalline, bifacial solar technology.
- The project achieved one of the most competitive tariffs for solar power in the world at USD 1.32 per kWh.
- During development, a record-breaking 10MW of solar panels were installed on average per day.
Shams Solar Power Plant
Shams is a 100-megawatt (MW) concentrated solar power (CSP) plant located in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. The plant is approximately 120 km southwest of Abu Dhabi.
Shams was commissioned in 2013, with an aim to help the United Arab Emirates to diversify its energy mix. It is the first operational utility-scale CSP plant in the MENA region.
Quick facts about Shams
- It supplies electricity to 20,000+ households
- Its installed capacity is 100MW
- It displaces about 175,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year
- It generates energy through 768 parabolic trough collectors
- It covers an area of 2.5 square kilometres.
Related links
- Ten years of renewable energy – Shams website
- Shams Solar Power Plant – Masdar
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project
As part of Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to generate 75 per cent of Dubai's power from clean energy by 2050, Dubai will build the largest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project on a single site in the world, which is expected to begin power generation within the next five years.
The project will surpass the existing world's largest CSP tower in Morocco that has a power generating capacity of 150MW.
The new CSP project, will deliver inexpensive power at less than 8 US cents per kilowatt-hour as it is generated from the site to be located at the existing Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
Circular rings of solar mirrors called heliostats will direct sunlight into a central collection tower where the sun’s rays would power a steam turbine to generate concentrated solar power.
The solar project and solar park when completed are expected to slash carbon emissions in Dubai by more than 6.5 million tonnes of harmful CO2, helping Dubai and the UAE meet their commitment to the Paris Agreement to keep global warming temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius this century.
The benefit of using concentrated solar power is that it can be stored for 8 to 12 hours after generation, which can help power the emirate through the night. The first phase of the new CSP project should be operational by 2021.
Sourced from:
- Dubai to build world's Concentrated Solar Power project on a single site - WAM
- Dubai plans world's largest solar project - Gulf News
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
The emirate of Dubai announced in January 2012 that a 1 GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park would be built in phases and completed by 2030 in Seih Al Dahal, around 50 km south of Dubai city, to meet its renewable energy supply target.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, based on the IPP model. It will generate 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030. The first phase of this project began operations in 2013 with a capacity of 13 MW. The second phase began operations in April 2017 with a capacity of 200 MW. The third phase will begin operations in 2020 with a capacity of 1,000 MW, while the fourth phase of the project will begin operations by the last quarter of 2020 with a capacity of 5,000 MW. The project will have the world’s tallest solar tower, measuring 260 metres.
This project was launched under the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to increase the share of clean energy in Dubai’s total power output to 7 percent by 2020, 25 percent by 2030 and 75 percent by 2050.
This plant can be responsible for the reduction of approximately 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The park is expected to eventually cover 40 square kilometres. A 200 MW plant, part of the same complex, is currently under construction. The park will produce 5,000 MW by 2030.
Related links
Other solar energy projects
- Shams Dubai: The initiative encourages house and building owners to install Photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate electricity, and connect them to DEWA’s grid. The electricity is used on site and the surplus is exported to DEWA’s network.
- Masdar City Solar Photovoltaic Plant: The Masdar City 10MW Solar Photovoltaic Plant was the first grid-connected renewable energy project in the UAE and the largest of its kind in the Middle East when inaugurated in 2009. The facility produces about 17,500 megawatt-hours of clean electricity annually.
- Khazna Data Center Photovoltaic Plant: The plant will have an installed capacity of 7 megawatt peak (MWp) and will provide electricity to the Khazna Abu Dhabi 6 (AUH 6) facility, which is currently under construction in Masdar City.
- Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi: The Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi solar rooftop PV project includes an estimated 16,000 solar modules placed across the theme park’s roof area of 36,000 square metres and will produce nearly 40 per cent of its annual energy demand. The total installed capacity is 7MWp. The plant was inaugurated in March 2023.
- SeaWorld Solar project: The project will have a capacity of 8.2 MW with rooftop solar PV systems installed at the marine-life mega development on Yas Island.
