DEWA commissions second unit of 4th phase of Dubai solar park

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has commissioned the 200 megawatt (MW) second unit of the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, with an estimated cost of up to Dhs15.8bn, according to the Government of Dubai Media Office.

The fourth phase of the solar park uses the Independent Power Producer model. It is set to provide clean energy for approximately 320,000 residences and reduce carbon emissions by 1.6 million tonnes annually.

The 950MW fourth phase is the largest single-site project in the world that combines concentrated solar power and photovoltaic technologies.

“The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park’s projects constitute one of the key pillars of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100 per cent of the energy production capacity from clean energy sources by 2050,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director & CEO of DEWA.

“Commissioning the 200MW second unit of the parabolic basin complex in the fourth phase increased the solar park’s production capacity to 2,627MW and DEWA’s total production capacity to 15,117MW.

”The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, with a planned total capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030. DEWA and the ACWA Power-led consortium, established Noor Energy 1 as a project company to design, build, and operate the 4th phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

DEWA holds a 51 per cent stake in the company, ACWA Power holds 25 per cent, and the Chinese Silk Road Fund owns 24 per cent. The fourth phase of the solar park uses three hybrid technologies to produce clean energy – 600MW from a parabolic basin complex, 100MW from the world’s tallest solar power tower – using Molten Salt technology), and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels.

The utility firm has commissioned 717MW on the fourth phase, which will have the largest thermal storage capacity in the world of 15 hours, allowing for solar energy availability round the clock.

DEWA solar park drives sustainability

Meanwhile, the share of clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix is about 16.3 per cent of its total installed capacity.

The construction of the first unit of the fourth phase project of 100MW capacity from the solar tower, the second unit of 200MW from the parabolic basin complex and 217MW from photovoltaic solar panels are 100 per cent complete.

The second unit of 200MW from the parabolic basin complex is also 100 per cent complete while the third unit of 200MW from the parabolic basin complex and 33MW from photovoltaic solar panels are 87.1 per cent complete.

In August, DEWA selected Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) to build and operate the 1,800MW sixth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park with an estimated cost of up to Dhs5.51bn

Earlier in June, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai inaugurated the 900MW phase 5 of the solar park.

Read: Sheikh Mohammed inaugurates phase 5 of Dubai solar park