Abu Dhabi is poised to become home to the world’s largest solar energy facility, a 5.2-gigawatt (GW) solar farm that will set a new benchmark in renewable energy infrastructure. The project, spearheaded by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) in collaboration with the Emirates Water and Electricity Company, will be the first of its kind to integrate a comprehensive Battery Energy Storage System (BESS), enabling continuous power supply around the clock.
This gigascale initiative is designed to generate up to 1 GW of baseload power daily, ensuring uninterrupted electricity supply even when sunlight is unavailable. The system will achieve this through its 19-gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS, which will store excess solar energy during the day and release it at night. Once operational, the facility is expected to provide power to approximately 750,000 homes.
A Project of Unprecedented Scale
The sheer size of the project underscores its global significance. By some estimates, the plant will require nearly 10 million solar panels to achieve its ambitious energy targets. A comparison with the Al Dhafra Solar Plant, inaugurated in Abu Dhabi in November 2023, provides perspective: Al Dhafra, with a capacity of 2 GW, spans 21 square kilometres (8.1 square miles) and houses four million solar panels. By extrapolation, the new Masdar-led project is likely to cover over 52 square kilometres (20.25 square miles)—an area equivalent to nearly 10,000 football fields.
With an estimated cost of $6 billion, the solar farm is scheduled for completion by 2027. Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, highlighted the project’s integration of smart energy management solutions, allowing for flexible power dispatch at any time of the day or night.
A Global Renewable Energy Milestone
Once completed, the Abu Dhabi solar plant will surpass China’s 3.5-GW solar facility in Xinjiang, which was previously the world’s largest when commissioned in mid-2023. The UAE’s new solar megaproject not only cements the country’s leadership in clean energy but also plays a critical role in advancing its Net Zero by 2050 strategy.
By significantly bolstering its renewable energy capacity, Abu Dhabi continues to position itself as a frontrunner in the global transition towards sustainable power solutions.
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