The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has chosen Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) as the preferred bidder to build the 1.8GW sixth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

With an investment of Dh5.51bn ($1.49bn), the sixth phase is part of the single largest solar park in the world and is based on the independent power producer model.

The solar park will have 5GW of capacity by 2030. Total investment in the project is estimated at Dh50bn ($13.6bn).

DEWA received 23 expressions of interest from international applicants to develop this project and the request for qualification was released in November 2022.

Its levelised energy cost of $0.016215 per kilowatt-hour is the lowest of any of DEWA's solar projects to date.

DEWA CEO and managing director Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer stated: “We are striving to achieve the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into a global hub for clean energy and green economy. We also support the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050 to provide 100% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050.

“To achieve this, DEWA has launched several leading renewable projects, including the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world. Using the independent power producer model, it will have a capacity of 5,000MW by 2030 with investments totalling Dh50bn.”

The solar park will reduce carbon emissions by 6.5 million tonnes each year. The 1.8GW sixth phase is expected to be built in stages, starting from the fourth quarter of 2023, and will bring the solar park’s total production capacity so far to 4.6GW.

Project-related documents, the power purchase agreement and financial close agreements will be signed shortly.