Massive rooftop solar installation announced for Dubai Airports

Image: WAM/ For illustrative purposes

Dubai Airports has partnered with Etihad Clean Energy Development Company, a Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) subsidiary, to install the world’s largest rooftop solar panel project at an airport.

The initiative, expected to be fully operational by 2026, will cover Dubai International Airport (DXB) and Dubai World Central – Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC).

The solar initiative, set to generate a total of 39 megawatts peak (MWp) of clean energy, will see the installation of 62,904 solar panels across both airports.

The panels will provide a substantial 60,346 megawatt-hours (MWh) of renewable energy annually, reducing the airports’ carbon footprint by approximately 23,000 tonnes of CO2 every year — equivalent to removing 5,000 cars from the roads or powering 3,000 homes yearly.

Notably, the project will meet 6.5 per cent of DXB’s total energy needs and 20 per cent of DWC’s, reinforcing Dubai Airports’ commitment to sustainability.

The solar installation is a critical part of Dubai Airports’ long-term vision to create greener, smarter, and more energy-efficient operations.

Dubai Airports is aligned with the emirate’s sustainability vision

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, vice chairman of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy, and managing director and CEO of DEWA, highlighted the project’s alignment with the UAE’s broader sustainability goals.  He noted that Dubai is on track to meet its ambitious clean energy targets, with plans to source 25 per cent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030 and achieve 100 per cent clean energy by 2050.

“We aim to exceed these targets, possibly reaching 27 per cent clean energy capacity by 2030,” Al Tayer added. “This initiative accelerates our efforts, and innovation will play a pivotal role in making Dubai a global leader in sustainability.”

Paul Griffiths, CEO of Dubai Airports, expressed excitement about the positive impact the project will have on the airport’s operations. “Airports are significant energy consumers, but they also present tremendous opportunities to drive meaningful change.”

“This project is not just about installing solar panels; it’s about embedding sustainability into the core of everything we do. Every kilowatt generated from renewable sources brings us closer to shrinking our carbon footprint and future-proofing our operations,” Griffiths explained.

Dr Waleed Alnuaimi of Etihad ESCO added: “This partnership with Dubai Airports is central to our strategy to accelerate Dubai’s sustainability goals. We are expanding the solar footprint through projects like this, helping reduce energy demand while driving the adoption of clean energy solutions across the emirate.”

Dubai Airports new project builds on the success of earlier solar initiatives at DXB’s Terminal 2 and Concourse D, where solar energy has already reduced energy consumption and lowered carbon emissions.