Coca-Cola’s UAE bottling facility to be powered by clean energy

REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

Emerge, a joint venture between the UAE’s Masdar and France’s EDF, has signed an agreement with Coca-Cola Al Ahlia Beverages, Coca-Cola’s bottler and distributor in the UAE, to develop a 1.8-megawatt (MWp) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant for its Al Ain facility.

The commercial and industrial (C&I) project will combine ground-mounted, rooftop, and car park installations, Emerge said in a statement.

The company will provide a full turnkey solution for the 1.8MWp project, including the design, procurement, and construction, as well as the operation and maintenance of the plant for 25 years.

Michel Abi Saab, General Manager, Emerge, said: “We are confident the 1.8 MWp solar PV plant we will build, operate and maintain for Coca-Cola Al Ahlia Beverages – like the facilities we are building for our other partners Miral, Khazna Data Centers, and Al Dahra Food Industries – will provide stable and clean energy for its Al Ain facility for decades to come.”

Mohamed Akeel, CEO, Coca-Cola Al Ahlia Beverages, said: “Our agreement with Emerge will allow us to reach yet another sustainability milestone – a big aspect of which is the integration of more renewable energy into our operations.”

The C&I solar segment has been witnessing unprecedented growth since 2021, boosted internationally by the high cost of fuel and electricity. 

IHS Markit has predicted that 125 gigawatts (GW) of C&I rooftop solar will be installed globally by 2026. 

Rooftop solar PV could provide approximately 6 percent of the United Arab Emirate’s total power generation by 2030, the statement said, citing International Renewable Energy Agency’s REmap 2030 report.