Construction of the 800 megawatt phase 3 of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai will start at the end of this month following the award of the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the project.
The EPC contract agreement has been awarded to an international consortium led by renewable energy contractor GranSolar of Spain, alongside Acciona, also from Spain, and Ghella of Italy.
A Masdar-led consortium was selected last June by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to develop what will be the world’s largest solar park on a single plot on completion, after setting a record-low bid price for solar power generation of 2.99 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).
The agreement follows the launch of the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to diversify the energy mix so clean energy will generate 7 percent of Dubai’s total power output by 2020, 25 percent by 2030 and 75 percent by 2050.
Construction of the 16 sq km phase 3 expansion of the Dubai Solar Park will occur in three stages. The first 200MW stage is expected to be completed by the first half of 2018 and the next 300MW phase is due the following year, with the final 300MW tranche to come on stream in the first half of 2020.
“This important milestone is a clear demonstration of the strong momentum behind the expansion of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, now including partnerships with GranSolar, Acciona and Ghella – respected international companies with a strong track record in renewables. At Masdar, we are proud to be supporting the UAE in realising its bold clean energy targets, and we are grateful for DEWA’s excellent leadership in this benchmark project,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar.
Domingo Vegas Fernández, representing the consortium, added: "Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project marks a new global milestone in the development of renewable energy in the Middle East and the world. The consortium is delighted to form part of it, ready to provide its extensive experience in designing, constructing and operating solar energy plants and being fully committed to DEWA and Masdar vision towards a more sustainable future for the region."
The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is expected to displace an estimated 6.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum on completion in 2030.