wiredInUSA October 2017

Image; www.dewa.gov.ae

Another world first?

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is thought to have achieved a world record by awarding the 700MW fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. It will be the largest single-site concentrated solar power (CSP) project in the world, basedon the independent power producer (IPP) model. The contract was awarded to a consortium of Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power andChina’s Shanghai Electric, who bid the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) at $7.3 cents per kilowatt hour. The project, which will have the world’s tallest solar tower at 260m, will be commissioned in stages, beginning in late 2020.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD and CEO of DEWA, said: “Our focus on renewable energy generation has led to a drop in prices worldwide, and has lowered the price of solar power bids in Europe and the Middle East. This was evident today when we received the lowest CSP project cost in the world.” The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is expected togenerate 1,000MW by 2020 and 5,000MW by 2030. The 13MW photovoltaic first phase became operational in 2013. The 200MW photovoltaic second phase of the solar park was launched in March 2017, and the 800MW photovoltaic third phase will be operational by 2020.

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wiredInUSA - October 2017