Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) received 30 Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the 200 megawatt (MW) concentrated solar power (CSP) Plant, constituting Phase IV of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site strategic solar energy project of its kind in the world, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. The 13MW first phase became operational in 2013.

The 200MW second phase of the Solar Park will be operational by 2017. In June 2016, Dewa announced that the Masdar-led consortium was the selected bidder for the 800MW third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, to be completed by 2020, based on the IPP model, after getting a Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of $2.99 cents per kilowatt hour (kW/h).

The total capacity of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will reach 1,000MW by 2020, and 5000MW by 2030, with total investments of Dh50 billion ($13.6 billion).

“This 200MW CSP Plant will be operational by April 2021, since we intend to continue generating power using CSP technology to reach 1000MW by 2030,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

“Undoubtedly, this project is another milestone achievement that will put Dubai and the UAE at the forefront in the region in producing renewable and clean energy, and supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

“We are determined to continue building and developing a greener economy, to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 of a sustainable environment in terms of air quality, conserving water resources, more reliance on clean energy, and implementing green development in Dubai, as well as Dubai Plan 2021 to establish Dubai as a smart and sustainable city, whose environmental elements are clean, healthy and sustainable.

“We also support the long-term ‘Green Economy for Sustainable Development’ initiative to build a green economy in the UAE. We are inspired to achieve these ambitious goals of our wise leadership who support the plan to diversify our energy mix to ensure energy security, and build a sustainable future, for generations to come," he added.

“To achieve our vision to become a sustainable innovative world class utility, we are working to establish sustainability as the roadmap that secures a brighter and happier future for Dubai, by launching distinguished world-class initiatives and projects in green development.

"This helps us increase the share of clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix, in implementation of Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, to provide 7 per cent of Dubai's energy from clean energy sources by 2020. This target will increase to 25 per cent by 2030, and to 75 per cent by 2050,” concluded Al Tayer. – TradeArabia News Service