Dubai: Dubai will soon build one of the biggest solar parks in the region with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts, Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, MD and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, announced at the Mena Renewable Energy Forum.
The park, named Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, will have a 1,000MW capacity by 2030, and would make a substantial contribution to Dubai’s future energy needs.
The first phase, which involves a 13 MW solar PV plant, will be in operation before end of 2013.
“By 2030, Dubai’s average energy growth is projected to be in the range of four to five per cent per annum and our target, under the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, is to reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent through the implementation of enhanced energy-efficient initiatives and, by the same token, to significantly reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide,” said Al Tayer.
Under the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy, by 2030 Dubai will have diversified its fuel mix by adding new energy sources and about five per cent would come from renewable energy including solar power, he said. He added that 12 per cent would come from clean coal, 12 per cent from nuclear power and 71 per cent from gas.
The Supreme Council of Energy of Dubai was formed as a formal governing body and seeks to ensure sustainable energy resources for the Emirate’s growing economy in a cost-effective manner.
The council developed Dubai’s Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 two years ago and started implementation in January 2011.
“This strategy is driven by our vision to make Dubai a role model to the world in energy security and efficiency. Accordingly, the mission is to support Dubai’s economic growth through a secure supply of energy and efficient energy usage, while meeting environmental and sustainability objectives,” said Al Tayer.
He said it has also been identified that distributed rooftop solar power sources can make a practical contribution of almost 20 per cent to Dubai’s power needs.
“Small scale applications of solar are in use in Dubai, such as in commercial and industrial buildings, street lights and so forth. Recently, Dewa has constructed a building where over 25 per cent of its electricity needs are managed by solar energy.”
Al Tayer said: “We at Dewa share the same goals as the rest of the world to secure a diverse and sustainable energy supply, through the integration of renewable energy into our energy mix, rationalisation of consumption and reduction of our carbon footprint.”