The world’s largest solar park will produce 5 GW energy by 2030

It was designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 6.5 million tons each year.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is aiming for 5 GW by 2030 in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park – the largest single-site solar park in the world.

Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project constitutes one of the key pillars of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy to provide 100 percent of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

As per PV Magazine, it has been reported in July that Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park might have been scaled back, based on a budget update published by DEWA. That DEWA cost update said AED 12 billion ($3.27 billion) had been apportioned “to complete the independent power producer (IPP) projects in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park” – plus two other infrastructure sites – “in the next five years.”

However, an update published this week, following a site visit by DEWA CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, indicated that 2030 remains the project deadline for an eventual 5 GW site.

CEO Al Tayer was briefed by three officials from Shuaa Energy about the fifth phase of the solar park recently. This week, DEWA also states that the second project of the fifth phase was 93.3 percent complete and the third project was 26,3 percent complete.

In 2019, DEWA achieved a world record by receiving the lowest bid of USD 1.6953 cents per kilowatt hour (Levelised Cost of Energy) for this phase.

How did it start?

The world’s largest solar park, located in Seih Al Dahal, Dubai, was designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 6.5 million tons each year by 2030. The solar park uses a range of photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies.

The facility also includes an innovation center. It is also home to one of the largest research and development centers in the region.

In 2013, the operation of the park began with the launch of the first phase of the project. The second phase of the park was completed in April 2017.

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is a public service infrastructure company. It was founded in 1992 by Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

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