Dubai switches on another portion of 5-GW solar project

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has switched on the 200-MW second unit of the parabolic basin complex as part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai whose overall planned capacity is expected to reach 5,000 MW by 2030.

The new capacity is part of the 950-MW fourth phase of the mega solar project and is described as the largest single-site project in the world that combines concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic technologies.

The AED-15.8-billion (USD 4.30bn/EUR 4.10bn) fourth phase comprises 600 MW from the parabolic basin complex -- three units of 200 MW each, 100 MW from a molten salt technology-based solar power tower and 250 MW from photovoltaic solar panels. It will see the installation of more than 790,000 photovoltaic panels, more than 63,600 parabolic trough collectors (PT) and 70,000 mirrors (heliostats) that track the sun’s movement.

Some 717 MW of the fourth phase of the project have already been launched. The remaining part of this phase -- the third unit of the parabolic basin complex and 33 MW from photovoltaic solar panels, is 87.1% complete.

The fifth stage of the project was inaugurated in June. Last month, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC, better known as Masdar, signed an agreement for the construction and operation of the 1.8-GW sixth phase of Dubai’s flagship solar project.

The commissioning of the latest unit has increased the already active production capacity of the park to 2,627 MW.

(AED 1 = USD 0.272/EUR 0.259)

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