RIYADH: Abu Dhabi’s upcoming 1.5 gigawatts Al-Ajban solar photovoltaic power project received bids from four major utility developers, including Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power, announced Emirates Water and Electricity Co. on Tuesday.
According to a company press release, the other three bids were from French firm EDF Renewables, Japan’s Marubeni Corp. and a consortium of China’s Jinko Power and Thailand’s Jera.
Al-Ajban Solar PV, EWEC’s third solar power project, will be operational in 2026 and is anticipated to reduce Abu Dhabi’s carbon dioxide emission by up to 2.4 million metric tons annually.
The project aims to achieve its strategic goals, which include increasing Abu Dhabi’s solar power generation capacity to 7.3 GW by 2030 and meeting 60 percent of the emirate’s total energy demand through clean energy sources by 2035.
“Al-Ajban Solar PV demonstrates EWEC’s accumulative expertise in commissioning and deploying world-leading innovative, emission-free utility projects to secure and dispatch sustainable and reliable power supply across the UAE,” said EWEC CEO Othman Al Ali in the press statement.
He added: “EWEC’s renewable energy projects are further strengthening the UAE’s position as a global leader and role model in planning and implementing tangible strategic actions to realize long-term socio-economic and sustainability objectives.”
Additionally, the project will increase EWEC’s overall solar power capacity to about 4 GW.
The Abu Dhabi-based utility major stated that the proposals will undergo a detailed technical and commercial evaluation procedure.
In addition to strengthening the UAE’s position as a global hub in addressing critical climate change challenges, the company’s renewable energy plants will enforce international standards for utility-scale renewable energy projects.
In March, EWEC recommended a 606 percent rise in its solar power generation capacity by 2030 in line with the UAE’s aim to achieve net zero by 2050.
The company plans to increase its solar power generation capacity to 7.3 GW and develop 300 MW of battery energy storage systems.
Moreover, it forecast the requirement for an additional 3 GW of solar power capacity by 2029 on top of the 1.5 GW procured from the Al-Ajban Solar PV Project once it becomes operational in 2026.
