Saudi company ACWA Power announced the inauguration of the 300-MW first stage of the 900-MW Shuaa Energy 3 PSC, which is the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. The fifth phase brings the current production capacity of the solar park to 1,313 MW.
Once fully operational, the park will be the largest single-site solar park in the world based on an independent power producer model, with a planned production capacity of 5,000 MW, saving over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
Shuaa Energy 3 PSC is the special-purpose vehicle incorporated for the project, with 60% owned by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority and the remaining 40% split between ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation.
“The inauguration of the first part of the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai reinforces ACWA Power’s commitment to supporting Dubai’s ambitious strategy to balance economic growth and environmental sustainability, contributing to Dubai’s reputation as a global player in green economic transformation and a driver of global carbon footprint reduction,” said Mohammad Abunayyan, ACWA Power’s chairman.
Shuaa Energy 3 PSC is expected to power 270,000 residential units and offset carbon emissions amounting to 1.18 million tonnes per year in Dubai. The project will use the latest bifacial photovoltaic solar panels, which capture sunlight on both sides of the panels and produce energy with an advanced solar tracking system to increase generation efficiency.
The project will feature a state-of-the-art automated solar panel cleaning system, with 2,662 automatic cleaning robots positioned around the plant.
The 13-MW photovoltaic first phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park became operational in 2013. The 200-MW photovoltaic second phase of the solar park, developed by ACWA Power, was launched in March 2017. Work on the fourth phase 950-MW concentrated-solar-power/photovoltaic hybrid Noor Energy 1 is underway. The fifth phase of the solar park is expected to be commissioned in phases later this year.