The UAE was ranked third in the world in the production of concentrated solar power (CSP) in 2013. In 2014, roughly 140 MW of solar power was being generated in the UAE. The government estimated that savings between USD 1 billion and 3.7 billion could be achieved by hitting its renewables' target and now believes that the savings could be even greater with the changed outlook for fossil fuels and renewable energy prices.
Al Dhafra Solar PV is the world’s largest single-site solar power plant.
The 2GW Al Dhafra Solar PV plant was inaugurated in November 2023. It was built in a single phase.
Al Dhafra Solar PV spans more than 20 square kilometres of desert and uses almost 4 million solar panels, which deploy innovative bi-facial technology.
Quick facts
Shams is a 100-megawatt (MW) concentrated solar power (CSP) plant located in the Western Region of Abu Dhabi. The plant is approximately 120 km southwest of Abu Dhabi.
Shams was commissioned in 2013, with an aim to help the United Arab Emirates to diversify its energy mix. It is the first operational utility-scale CSP plant in the MENA region.
Quick facts about Shams
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As part of Dubai Clean Energy Strategy to generate 75 per cent of Dubai's power from clean energy by 2050, Dubai will build the largest Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project on a single site in the world, which is expected to begin power generation within the next five years.
The project will surpass the existing world's largest CSP tower in Morocco that has a power generating capacity of 150MW.
The new CSP project, will deliver inexpensive power at less than 8 US cents per kilowatt-hour as it is generated from the site to be located at the existing Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.
Circular rings of solar mirrors called heliostats will direct sunlight into a central collection tower where the sun’s rays would power a steam turbine to generate concentrated solar power.
The solar project and solar park when completed are expected to slash carbon emissions in Dubai by more than 6.5 million tonnes of harmful CO2, helping Dubai and the UAE meet their commitment to the Paris Agreement to keep global warming temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius this century.
The benefit of using concentrated solar power is that it can be stored for 8 to 12 hours after generation, which can help power the emirate through the night. The first phase of the new CSP project should be operational by 2021.
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The emirate of Dubai announced in January 2012 that a 1 GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park would be built in phases and completed by 2030 in Seih Al Dahal, around 50 km south of Dubai city, to meet its renewable energy supply target.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, based on the IPP model. It will generate 1,000 MW by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030. The first phase of this project began operations in 2013 with a capacity of 13 MW. The second phase began operations in April 2017 with a capacity of 200 MW. The third phase will begin operations in 2020 with a capacity of 1,000 MW, while the fourth phase of the project will begin operations by the last quarter of 2020 with a capacity of 5,000 MW. The project will have the world’s tallest solar tower, measuring 260 metres.
This project was launched under the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to increase the share of clean energy in Dubai’s total power output to 7 percent by 2020, 25 percent by 2030 and 75 percent by 2050.
This plant can be responsible for the reduction of approximately 15,000 tons of carbon dioxide annually. The park is expected to eventually cover 40 square kilometres. A 200 MW plant, part of the same complex, is currently under construction. The park will produce 5,000 MW by 2030.
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