Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (Photo: AETOSWire)
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES -- Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has invited international developers to submit expressions of interest for a tender to develop the 1,600-megawatt (MW) seventh phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This phase, which is expandable to 2,000MW, will use photovoltaic solar panels and a battery energy storage system with a capacity of 1,000MW for six hours, providing a total storage capacity of 6,000 megawatt-hours (MWh). This will make it one of the world’s largest solar-plus-storage projects. The phase will be implemented under the independent power producer (IPP) model. DEWA has invited international developers or consortia to submit their expressions of interest by 21 March 2025.
The 7th phase is expected to produce 4.5 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, avoiding the burning of more than 36 billion cubic feet of natural gas. It will increase the solar park's planned production capacity from 5,000MW to 7,260MW, raising the share of clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix from 27% to 34% by 2030. As a result, the total reduction in carbon dioxide emissions will rise from 6.5 million tonnes to approximately 8 million tonnes annually, reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global hub for sustainability and innovation in renewable energy. The 7th phase is scheduled to become operational in stages between 2027 and 2029.
According to a DEWA study, battery energy storage systems are the most cost-effective solution for energy storage and land use. Beyond grid benefits, they enhance renewable energy stability and reliability. Integrating advanced solar PV with battery storage mitigates solar intermittency and sets a replicable model for sustainable power. The solar park’s current production capacity stands at 3,460MW, with an additional 1,200MW under construction.
