To promote cooperation in developing and financing the 800MW third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has signed an agreement with both Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and Électricité de France (EDF).

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world, with a planned capacity of 5,000MW by 2030, and a total investment of AED50 billion ($13.6 billion).

The solar park will help Dubai with its aim to provide 75 percent of its total power output from clean energy sources by 2050.

Shuaa Energy 2 is implementing the 300 MW third phase of the solar park.

Shuaa Energy 2 was launched in partnership with the Masdar-led consortium, and EDF, through its subsidiary EDF Energies Nouvelles.

GranSolar the renewable energy contractor from spain leads the international consortium and is handling the procurement, engineering, and construction (EPC). It includes Acciona from Spain and Ghella from Italy.

Managing director and CEO of DEWA, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, said: "The MoU... is part of our efforts to achieve the objectives of the UAE Centennial 2071, the UAE Vision 2021, and the Dubai Plan 2021 to make the UAE the best country in the world, achieve sustainable development, and promote the welfare of citizens, residents, and visitors."

DEWA registered a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of $2.99 per kilowatt hour (kW/h) for the third phase of the solar park, which will be operational in 2020.

The solar park once completed will save approximately 6.5 million tonnes per annum in emissions. The third phase will be completed in three stages over 16 square kilometres.

The first 200MW stage is expected to be operational in the first half of 2018. The  second stage which is 300MW will be operational in 2019 followed by the third 300MW stage which will be completed in the first half of 2020.