Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), recently reviewed the construction work at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, situated about 50km south of Dubai
As a part of Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, the solar park project was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai, in January 2012. The strategy aims to provide seven per cent of Dubai?s energy from clean sources by 2020, 25 per cent by 2030 and 75 per cent by 2050.
The representatives from Shuaa Energy 2 briefed the progress of the third phase of the solar park. Furthermore, a detailed presentation was given by the representatives from the international consortium led by the renewable energy contractor GranSolar from Spain. The solar park has witnessed 22 per cent progress in the achievement rate.
The third phase of the solar park will be completed in three stages, implementing a total production capacity of 800MW. The first 200MW stage is expected to be operational in the first half of 2018. The second stage of 300MW capacity is scheduled to be operational in 2019 and the third 300MW stage to be completed in the first half of 2020.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is being constructed with a planned capacity of 1,000MW by 2020 and 5,000MW by 2030. The total investment of the solar park project is US$13.6bn that will eventually save approximately 6.5mn tonnes per annum in emissions.
DEWA registered a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of US$2.99 cents per kilowatt hour for the third phase of the solar park. DEWA further plans to connect the World Expo to the solar park to supply around 400MW of power to the site of Expo.
Commenting on the construction work, Al Tayer stressed the need to maintain the highest standards of security, health and safety to adhere to the project?s contractual deadline for completion.
