Work in full swing on giant MBR solar power project
DUBAI, April 4, 2021
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) said work is progressing at a steady pace on the 950MW Phase Four of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest concentrated solar power (CSP) project globally that features the world’s tallest solar power tower standing at 262.44 m.
Around 87 per cent of the work on the solar tower has already been completed clocking 10 million safe working hours without injuries, it stated.
Dewa said the Phase Four of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site investment project that combines CSP and photovoltaic technology using the IPP model, and is rated for 950MW.
It is being developed on a Independent Power Producer (IPP) model with investments of up to AED15.78 billion ($4.3 billion).
For this phase, it will use 700MW of CSP (600MW from a parabolic basin complex, 100MW from the solar power tower) and 250MW from photovoltaic solar panels.
On its completion, the project will have the largest thermal storage capacity in the world of 15 hours, allowing for energy availability round the clock. The 4th phase will provide clean energy for around 320,000 residences and reduce 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year.
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa, said: "Up to 82.7% of the overall project’s first phase has been completed. This includes the solar power tower, the parabolic basin complex, and the photovoltaic solar panels."
"The concrete part of the solar power tower is also now complete at a height of 222 m, stated Al Tayer while inspecting the progress at the Phase Four of the MBR Solar Park.
The Molten Salt Receiver (MSR) is the centre and the most important part of the solar plant. It receives solar radiation and turns it into thermal energy, he added.
The MSR was built and assembled on top of the world’s highest solar tower in a remarkable construction process in June last year.
Al Tayer pointed out that the work on pallets and tubes that transfer the molten salt inside the solar tower has been fully completed.
Al Tayer later reviewed the work progress at the Visitors’ Centre of the Phase Four of the solar park. He was accompanied by a number of executive vice presidents and officials at Dewa.
Abdul Hamid Al Muhaidib, Executive Managing Director of Noor Energy 1, briefed Al Tayer on the work progress in the project.
Noor Energy 1 is owned by Dewa, Acwa Power from Saudi Arabia, and the Silk Road Fund, which is owned by the Chinese Government. The visit discussed the construction workflow and continuity for this strategic project.
On completion, the MBR Solar Park project will have the largest thermal storage capacity in the world of 15 hours, allowing for energy availability round the clock.
The Phase Four will provide clean energy for around 320,000 residences and reduce 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year.-TradeArabia News Service
