Dubai's Groundbreaking Solar Plant Construction Project Targets Completion by 2030
In Dubai, phase six of the 1800-megawatt solar power facility will be built over 20 square kilometers long, cutting carbon emissions by up to 2.4 million tons annually. Nevertheless, since the project has many phases, it is anticipated to have a capacity of 5,000 megawatts. After it is completed in 2030, the amount of carbon emissions that will be reduced annually will almost triple.
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Construction of Solar Plant in Dubai
The engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contract for a significant 1800 MW ac Solar Photovoltaic Plant in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has been successfully secured by the Power Transmission & Distribution unit of Larsen & Toubro Ltd. The undertaking is a fundamental component of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and its yearly objective is to mitigate around 2.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions.
For the project, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC, known as Masdar, has signed a Power Purchase Agreement with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The establishment of the solar plant, evacuation procedures, gas-insulated substations, and distribution networks are all under the purview of Larsen & Toubro, and these tasks are spread out throughout three different periods of operation. The solar park has been constructed under Dubai's Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and DEWA's commitment to achieve Net Zero emissions by that year.
According to the press statement released by L&T, the project's scope encompasses the photovoltaic plant and the evacuation and interconnection arrangements linked to it. These systems comprise two gas-insulated substations (GI), high-voltage underground cabling, and medium-voltage distribution networks.
In September of 2023, the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) for the project was signed by both Masdar and DEWA. It is expected that DEWA will keep a 60% ownership share in the project and will be the only entity to purchase the power the plant generates.
The Whole-Time Director and Senior Executive Vice President (Utilities) of Larsen & Toubro, T Madhava Das, expressed his gratitude to Masdar and DEWA, two of the company's most loyal clients, for their assistance in this project. Accordingly, the organization is fully dedicated to leveraging its expertise in project management and cutting-edge renewable energy solutions to accelerate the energy transition process in the region. This is particularly significant as the area strives to foster sustainable practices while managing economic growth.
On the other hand, by utilizing the Independent Power Producer (IPP) paradigm, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park stands as the most expansive single-site solar facility globally. Although L&T does not provide precise contract value information, the award was classified as "mega" in the range of INR 100 billion to INR 150 billion or around $1.2 billion to $1.8 billion.
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Solar Park Contribution to Achieve Dubai's Objective
DEWA developed and operates the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park as a key initiative for Dubai to meet the objectives outlined in the Dubai Renewable Energy Strategy (DCES) 2050, which is to generate 75% of the city's energy needs from renewable sources by that year.
A capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) is anticipated to be reached by the Solar Park by the year 2030, making it the largest single-site solar park in the world. Upon its completion, the power plant, which is situated in Seih Al Dahal, Dubai, will be responsible for lowering the annual carbon dioxide emissions by more than 6.5 million tons.
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