The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced a significant enhancement of clean energy capacity at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which now boasts a total generation capacity of 3,860 megawatts (MW) through a combination of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and concentrated solar power (CSP) technologies. This announcement was made by HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the Managing Director and CEO of DEWA, who highlighted that the recent addition of 800 MW from the park’s sixth phase was instrumental in reaching this milestone. As a result, clean energy now accounts for approximately 21.5% of DEWA’s overall energy production capacity.
Al Tayer emphasized that this achievement aligns with the UAE’s broader sustainability vision, championed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. He stated, “The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a cornerstone project in achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, which aim to produce 100% of Dubai’s energy from clean sources by 2050.”
Furthermore, Al Tayer mentioned that the solar park’s production capacity is projected to reach 7,260 MW by 2030, thereby increasing the proportion of clean energy in DEWA’s energy mix to 34% and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 8 million tonnes annually.
### Solar Park Development Timeline
The development of the solar park has progressed through multiple phases:
– **Phase 1 (2013)**: Initiated with a capacity of 13 MW using PV panels.
– **Phase 2 (2017)**: Commissioned 200 MW of PV capacity; the first project in the region based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.
– **Phase 3 (2020)**: Added 800 MW using PV technology and single-axis tracking, a regional first.
– **Phase 4 (2023)**: Introduced a hybrid model combining 600 MW from a parabolic trough CSP, 100 MW from a solar power tower, and 250 MW from PV, totaling 950 MW.
– **Phase 5 (2023)**: Commissioned 900 MW using PV technology.
– **Phase 6 (2025)**: Currently under development, adding another 1,800 MW through PV panels.
### Upcoming Phase 7: A Global Benchmark in Solar-Plus-Storage
DEWA has invited international developers to take part in Phase 7, which will have a capacity of 1,600 MW, expandable to 2,000 MW. This phase will incorporate PV solar panels and an integrated battery energy storage system (BESS) with a capacity of 1,000 MW for six hours, equating to a total storage capacity of 6,000 megawatt-hours.
This makes Phase 7 one of the largest solar-plus-storage projects globally, and it will also follow the IPP model for implementation. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park continues to be a pivotal element in Dubai’s clean energy transition, significantly contributing to the UAE’s long-term sustainability, carbon reduction, and energy resilience objectives.
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