Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has said that 80 percent of the second phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is complete, as of mid-December. The world’s largest single-site solar park based on the Independent Power Producer model (IPP), Al Maktoum Solar Park will be developed at a total investment of Dh50 billion ($13.6 billion). The Phase Two, which is the largest-of-its-kind in the UAE, will eventually generate 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity by April 2017. To date, 75 per cent of the 2.2 million photovoltaic panels have been installed. During the installation, no injuries were recorded, with over 1 million safe man hours logged, said its top official. “The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park has a planned capacity of 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030, and will eventually save approximately 6.5 million tonnes per annum in emissions,” stated Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dewa. Acwa Power chairman Mohammad Abdullah Abunayyan and Abdulhameed Al Muhaidib, the managing director of Shuaa Energy 1, briefed Al Tayer in detail about the implementation process. Shuaa Energy 1 is a company established by Dewa to complete the project as per UAE legislation. Dewa is the majority shareholder with 51 per cent stakes along with Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power, and the Spanish industrial group TSK taking the remaining stake. Dewa, he stated, was working closely with Shuaa Energy 1 to ensure that the second phase of the park is operational by April 2017. Abunayyan and Al Muhaidib explained in detail about the progress in construction and project operations to ensure that it is delivered on time. According to Al Tayer, the World Expo will be connected to the giant solar park, which will provide it with 200MW of power. “Dewa is inspired by the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in all its projects and initiatives. All projects included in the solar park adhere to the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to transform the emirate into a global centre for clean energy and green economy,” remarked Al Tayer. “The strategy sets the target to generate 5,000MW of solar power by 2030. Clean energy will generate seven per cent of Dubai’s total power output by 2020, 25 per cent by 2030, and 75 by 2050,” he added.
-TradeArabia News Service
