Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | will add 600MW of clean energy to its network from July 2019 to January 2020

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has reviewed the progress of the 300 megawatt (MW) second stage of the 800MW third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The solar park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. It will generate 5,000MW by 2030 with investments of up to AED 50 billion.

During the visit, Al Tayer was accompanied by Waleed Salman, Executive Vice President of Business Development & Excellence at DEWA; Jamal Shaheen Al Hammadi, Vice President of Clean Energy & Diversification at DEWA; and other DEWA staff.

DEWA is building the 800MW third phase of the solar park using photovoltaic technology in three stages, in partnership with a consortium led by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and EDF Group, through its subsidiary EDF Énergies Nouvelles. This solar plant is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, with an advanced solar tracking system to increase generation efficiency by 20-30% when compared to fixed installations. DEWA recorded a world record in the cost of photovoltaic solar power for this phase of the solar park, at a Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) of USD 2.99 cents per kilowatthour, using photovoltaic solar panels.

Al Tayer was briefed on the progress of the 300MW second phase of the solar park, which will be operational in late June. Construction of the 300MW third stage started earlier this year and will be operational in 2020.

The first stage has a capacity of 200MW and became operational in May 2018. It uses unique technologies, including over 800,000 self-cleaning solar cells that use robots to maintain efficiency. This stage provides over 60,000 residences with electricity, reducing over 270,000 tonnes of carbon emissions every year. DEWA established Shuaa Energy 2 with a 60% stake in the company in partnership with the Masdar-led consortium, and Électricité de France (EDF), through its subsidiary EDF Énergies Nouvelles. The consortium owns the remaining 40% of the company; Masdar owns 24% and EDF Énergies Nouvelles owns 16%. The international consortium led by the renewable energy contractors GranSolar and Acciona from Spain and Ghella from Italy are handling the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC).

The 13MW photovoltaic first phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park became operational in 2013. The 200MW photovoltaic second phase of the solar park was launched in March 2017, and the 800MW photovoltaic third phase will be operational by 2020.The fourth phase of the solar park is the largest single-site solar IPP project in the world and combines CSP and photovoltaic technology. The phase will use hybrid technologies to produce 950MW of clean energy.

DEWA issued a Request for Qualification (RFQ) for developers to build and operate the fifth phase of the solar park with a capacity of 900MW. The phase will use photovoltaic solar panels based on the IPP model and will be commissioned in stages from Q2 2021.