Abu Dhabi opens tender for 1.5 GW solar PV plant

Wam

Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) has started the tendering process for the 1.5 gigawatt Khazna solar photovoltaic independent power project. 

Ewec has invited developers and developer consortiums to submit an expression of interest (EOI) for the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of the greenfield solar PV power plant and associated infrastructure in the Al Khazna area of Abu Dhabi.

The new solar project aligns with Ewec’s plan to build additional renewable energy plants, increasing its total solar power generation capacity to 7.3 GW by 2030.

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The company also plans to commission at least two additional 1,500 MW solar PV projects, adding an average of one GW of solar capacity per year for the next decade. 

The Khazna solar PV project will be similar in scale and production capacity to Al Dhafra and Al Ajban solar PVs. 

Once fully operational, the Khazna project will generate electricity for 160,000 homes across the UAE and is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by more than 2.4 million metric tonnes per year, equivalent to removing 470,000 cars from the road. 

Othman Al Ali, chief executive officer of Ewec, said: “We continue to strategically invest in developing renewable projects that significantly accelerate our journey to meeting 60 percent of Abu Dhabi’s total power demand from renewable and clean energy sources by 2035.”

The deadline for EOI submission is October 2, 2023.