ABB said it has won an order worth over $90 million from Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) to build the Shams 400 kV substation at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park.

A pioneering technology leader in electrification products, robotics and motion, ABB said the new substation will integrate solar power from upcoming phases of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park into the city’s electrical grid.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, located inland 50 km south of Dubai, has been a central part of Dubai’s renewable strategy. When completed in 2030, the park will occupy 214 square km, generate 5,000 MW and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 6.5 million tons.

This will be ABB’s second substation for the park, exemplifying the company’s commitment to deliver reliable power to consumers and serve the building and infrastructure sector alongside utility and industry customers.

Following years of rapid growth and urbanisation, Dubai continues to be one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, and booming growth in population and economic sectors, like tourism, have increased demand for energy, said the statement from ABB.

To increase power supply and meet goals for increased use of renewables, the UAE launched its ambitious Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 to make the emirate a global center of clean energy and green economy.

On the new substation project, ABB said it will be responsible for the design, supply, and installation and commissioning of the Shams 400/ 132 kV substation, which once completed, will have an overall capacity of more than 2,000 megavolt amperes (MVA).

When Phase-3 of the project is finished in 2020, which is the same year that Dubai will host Expo 2020, the total solar power generated through Solar Photovoltaic will exceed 1,000 MW, and significantly lower carbon emissions, it added.

Claudio Facchin, President of ABB’s Power Grids Division, said: "We are proud to work with Dewa and continue to contribute to this landmark project with our state-of-the-art technologies that will boost capacity and bring cleaner solar power to the people."

"Integrating renewables is a key element of our Next Level strategy and our proven track record reinforces our position as a partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener grid," noted Facchin.

The ABB substation includes supply of 400 and 132 kV gas-insulated switchgear, power transformers, protection, automation and control systems as well as surveillance and communication systems.

It will also be IEC 61850 enabled, to support open and seamless communication with all intelligent devices.

Last year, ABB had delivered its first substation connecting the second phase of the MBR Solar Park and integrating 200 megawatts (MW) of electricity to the transmission grid.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and CEO of Dewa, said Dubai has a comprehensive approach to the energy sector and is committed to achieving the objectives of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 ie., to provide 75 per cent of the emirate’s total power output from clean energy by 2050.

"Meeting the clean energy objectives requires a capacity of 42,000 MW of clean and renewable energy by 2050. The most prominent project to achieve these objectives, is the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which will have a generation capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030, with investments totaling Dh50 billion," explained Al Tayer.

"The solar park will contribute to reducing over 6.5 million tons of carbon emissions per year when completed," he added.-TradeArabia News Service