Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) announced a fresh tender for the iconic Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park just days after Dubai announced long-term renewable energy targets.
Media outlets recently reported that DEWA launched a 200 megawatt tender for a concentrated solar power project at the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This is the first time concentrated solar power technology will come up at the solar power park.
The 200 megawatt project is set to be commissioned by April 2021 and will add to the more than 1 gigawatt of solar photovoltaic power capacity, almost all of which is currently under development at the solar power park.
MADINAT ZAYED, WESTERN REGION OF ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES – March 17, 2013: HH Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi (R), looks at the Shams 1 Concentrated Solar Power plant during the opening ceremony. Shams 1 is a project of the Shams Power Company, a subsidiary of Masdar, in association with Total and Abengoa Solar. Seen with HH Sheikh Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan Ruler’s Representative of the Eastern Region (L), HE Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber CEO of Masdar (2nd L), HH General Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces (3rd L), HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Vice-President Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai (4th L) and others..( Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court – Abu Dhabi ).—
An additional 800 megawatts of CSP capacity will be added to the solar power park, taking the total CSP installed capacity to 1,000 megawatts by 2030.
Under the recently announced Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 plan, Dubai targets 44% energy from renewable energy sources, 38% from gas, 12% from ‘clean fuels’ and 6% from nuclear energy. Almost $17 billion will be invested to expand the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
The solar power park will now be increased to a capacity of 5 gigawatts. The initial planned capacity was 1 gigawatt which was subsequently increased to 3 gigawatts, and now 5 gigawatts. Bids of the first 1 gigawatt of capacity have already been awarded.
Under the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy, the Emirate aims to achieve a 7% share of clean energy sources in the total energy mix, which is scheduled to be increased to 25% by 2030 and 75% by 2050.
