Dubai takes a page out of Abu Dhabi’s book with planned around-the-clock solar facility: Dubai is planning to build the seventh phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to include 1.6 GW of solar capacity with 1 GW battery energy storage system (BESS), according to a statement by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. Dewa appointed a Deloitte-led consortium as the advisor for the project.

The details: Dewa has yet to select a developer for the facility, which will be commissioned between 2027 and 2029, the statement added. The Deloitte consortium will handle the tender documents, design, submissions management, commercial negotiations, financial structuring, and power purchase agreements to reach financial close, as well as investor roadshows.

The project positions Dewa to exceed its 5 GW target for the solar park ahead of schedule, with the target initially being 2030, the statement said. The seventh phase will give the solar park a capacity of 6.2 GW, after the sixth phase — currently under construction — adds 1.8 GW to the grid, up from around 2.8 GW currently.

REMEMBER- Abu Dhabi is attempting the feat first: Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company are building a USD 6 bn, 5.2 GW solar project that will be linked to a 19 GWh BESS, making it one of the largest of its kind in the world. The mega project will produce 1 GW of uninterrupted baseload clean power daily on 90 sq km of land in the Abu Dhabi desert and will receive financing through both debt and equity. The project is set for completion in 2027.

The UAE has big renewables goals: The UAE is set to get one or two large-scale solar projects every year until 2030 as part of the country’s plan to achieve net zero by 2050 with renewables making up a 30% share of its electricity mix by 2030. The UAE currently generates around 6 GW of renewable energy and targets to increase this to at least 15 GW by 2030.

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