DEWA to complete 800 MW Phase III of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park by April

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced that it is set to complete the third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar plant on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model which has a rated capacity of 800 MW in April 2020. 

DEWA is building the 800 MW photovoltaic third phase of the solar park 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. The 200 MW first stage became operational in May 2018, and the 300 MW second stage became operational in August 2018.

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 US$2.99 cents per kilowatt-hour, using the IPP model. The third stage has innovative technologies, including solar modules that use robots to maintain efficiency.

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 has 24% and EDF Énergies Nouvelles has 16%. The international consortium, led by the renewable energy contractors GranSolar and Acciona from Spain and Ghella from Italy, is handling the engineering, procurement, and construction.

The solar power projects currently operational in the solar park have a capacity of 713 MW with a planned capacity of 1,013 MW by April 2020. DEWA is currently implementing 4 more projects with a capacity of 2,150 MW at the solar park, bringing the total capacity of the current five phases announced to 2,863 MW.

DEWA intends to reach 5,000MW by 2030, to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to produce 75% of Dubai's total power output from clean energy, and make Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world by 2050.