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Masdar consortium wins 800MW Dubai solar park bid

DUBAI, June 27, 2016

A consortium led by UAE-based renewable energy company Masdar including the Spanish companies FRV (Fotowatio Renewable Ventures) and Gransolar Group, has won the bid for the 800 megawatt (MW) third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.

The announcement was made by Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) at a press conference at the Armani hotel in Dubai in the presence of Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, and chairman of Masdar; Dr Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Climate Change and Environment and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, the chief executive of Masdar.

"Today, we take another step forward for solar energy by announcing the selected bidder for the solar park. We have a roadmap to achieve this, which includes ambitious initiatives and development projects to provide excellent government services based on world-class standards, to achieve everyone’s happiness," stated Al Tayer addressing the gathering.

"This is a new phase of our economy that is based on environmental sustainability and clean energy to make Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world," he added.

Masdar-led consortium, which bid a Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE), of $2.99 cents per kilowatt hour (kW/h), was selected following a tight competion and after evaluation of numerous offers.

Dewa had received 95 Expressions of Interest from international energy companies, in response to its tender request over the period from September 8 to 29 last year.

The company then asked the companies to submit their requests for qualification before November. This was followed by a Request for Proposals (RFP), to qualified bidders on December 28.

According to Dewa, five bids had come from international organisations. The lowest recorded bid at the opening of the envelopes was $2.99 cents per kW/h.

In preparation for the next phase, the utility said it will develop shareholder and power-purchase agreements that will be signed in the fourth quarter of 2016.

“The selection of the Masdar-led consortium is a testament to the vision of the UAE leadership, the foresight of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and the commitment of Dewa to realise ambitious renewable energy projects. It also reflects the technical expertise and proven track record that Masdar has built over the last 10 years,” remarked Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber.

“The UAE firmly believes that meeting the world’s growing energy demand requires a mix of energy sources, where we build on our existing assets of conventional energy, complementing them with alternative sources. By using multiple sources of energy such as natural gas, nuclear and solar, we are delivering both baseload generating capacity and the ability to meet peak energy demand efficiently and cost effectively,” stated the minister.

Al Jaber said the launch of third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park is a clear signal that solar power is a reliable and commercially-viable technology, and a key part of the UAE’s well-diversified energy strategy.

According to Al Tayer, the importance of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park lies in two points: it is the first of its kind in the region, and in its capacity. "

"It is the first of several promising projects to use renewable energy to generate electricity in Dubai," he stated.

On the contract win, Al Ramahi said: "The selection of the Masdar consortium to develop the third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park is a historical achievement for our company as we mark ten years of operations."
 
“Masdar is committed to accelerating the adoption of clean technologies and renewable energy, building on our decade-long experience and supporting the UAE’s strategy to increase the share of clean energy in its energy mix,” stated Al Ramahi.

“We stand ready to develop new opportunities in the UAE and elsewhere in the GCC, including new markets such as Saudi Arabia,” he added.-TradeArabia News Service




Tags: abu dhabi | Dubai | Masdar | Bid | solar project |

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