Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park explained

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
Coordinates:24.7547°N 55.365°W
Country:United Arab Emirates
Location:Seih Al-Dahal, Dubai
Construction Began:2012
Commissioned:22 October 2013 (first phase)
Owner:Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)
Operator:ACWA Power
Solar Type:Combined PV and CSP plant
Ps Site Area:77km2
Solar Site Resource:2150 kWh/(m2, yr)
Ps Units Operational:1,560 MWp
Ps Units Uc:1300 MWp
Ps Electrical Cap Fac:24.6%
Ps Annual Generation:appr. ~2800 GWh/yr

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is a solar park spread over a total area of in Saih Al-Dahal, about south of the city of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[1]

It is one of the world's largest renewable projects based on an independent power producer (IPP) model. Besides solar farms using PV technology, the project includes concentrating solar power (CSP), with the total capacity of the entire project planned to reach more than 4,000 megawatts.[2] It is estimated that the park will be generating 5 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030.

The plant was implemented by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). The first phase of the project was commissioned on 22 October 2013. At the end of 2020 the solar PV complex reached a generating capacity of 1.013 GW with the aim to reach 5GW by 2030.[3] The 4th (700 MW CSP + 250 MW PV, known as Noor Energy 1) and 5th phase (900 MW PV) are under construction.

The 200-megawatt second phase of the project drew global attention as the winning bid of the tender set a new record-low tariff of only US ¢5.89 per kilowatt-hour. This is about 20% lower than any previous, unsubsidized power purchase agreement (PPA) the world has seen before. The PPA is set to a 25-year time frame.[4] [5]

Thanks to a storage capacity of up to 15 hours, the plant can produce power day and night.

History

The solar park was announced by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum in January 2012.

Phase 1

The first phase of the park was a 13 MWp solar farm (DEWA 13) constructed by First Solar.[6] It was commissioned on 22 October 2013. It uses 152,880 FS-385 black CdTe modules and generates about 28 GWh per year which corresponds to a capacity factor of 24.6%.[7] [8]

Phase 2

The second phase is a 200 MWp[4] photovoltaic plant built at a cost of US$320 million by a consortium led by ACWA Power and Spanish company TSK. The second phase was scheduled to be commissioned by April 2017.[9] It was completed ahead of time, and commissioned on 22 March 2017. TSK served as the primary contractor for the project, while ACWA Power will operate the plant. The phase includes 2.3 million photovoltaic solar panels spread over an area of 4.5 km2. ACWA Power secured a 27-year debt financing loan worth $344 million from the First Gulf Bank, the National Commercial Bank and the Samba Financial Group.[10] The plant uses First Solar's CdTe modules.[11]

The 200 MWp second phase of the project caused worldwide attention, as the winning bid of the tender set a new record-low tariff of only US ¢5.89 per kilowatt-hour. This is about 20% lower than any previous, unsubsidized power purchase agreement (PPA) the world has seen before. The PPA is set to a 25-year time frame.[12] Assuming the same capacity factor as for phase 1 (24.6%) the annual production will be approximately 430 GWh/yr.

Phase 3

In April 2015, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) publicly announced the third phase of 800 MWp.[13] A consortium led by Abu Dubai Future Energy Company (Masdar) was awarded the contract for phase three in June 2016. The third phase was completed in 2020.

Phase 4 (Noor Energy 1)

The characteristics of the 4th phase of the solar park changed several times during its conception. Originally, DEWA released a request for the Expression of Interest (EOI) for a 200 MWe CSP project in October 2016 and announced the winning bid at 9.45 US cents/kWh purchase price in June 2017.[14] Three months later in September 2017 the final project was revealed at 700 MWe consisting of 600 MWe parabolic trough and a 100 MWe solar power tower both featuring large molten-salt thermal energy storage, while pointing out the record breaking purchase price of 7.30 US cents/kWh.[15] However, analysts highlight that factors such as very low financing cost and an extraordinary long 35-year PPA contributed to this very low figure.[16] Later in 2018 it was announced that 250 MW of solar PV would be added to the project [17] now named Noor Energy 1.[18]

The solar power tower is the tallest in the world, standing at . The Noor Energy 1 solar complex will have 15 hours of energy storage capacity, and be able to deliver power 24 hours a day. It boasts of being "the largest single-site concentrated solar power plant in the world".[19] It uses the technology known as concentrated solar thermal power, or CSP. Mirrors are used to concentrate the sun's rays, which are then beamed into the tower, which acts as a receptor.[20] The plant is also the largest CSP in the world. It Noor Energy 1 covers . Apart from the tower, there are three units other units, all 200-megawatt parabolic trough CSP units. Together these additional units generate 600 megawatts of electricity in the daytime and continue for 12 hours at night. Noor Energy 1 is able to deliver a gigawatt of power in total.[21]

Noor Energy 1 cost 3.8 billion to construct, but there are no ongoing fuel costs to consider, as there are with coal-fired power stations.[22]

Phase 5

On 21 November 2019, DEWA announced the selection of ACWA Power and Gulf Investment Corporation as preferred EPC and financer respectively, to build and operate the fifth phase, a 900 MW solar power plant based on photovoltaic technology.[23] The plant is scheduled to be commissioned in 2021.

Phase 6

DEWA awarded a contract for the sixth phase with 1,800 MW to Masdar in August 2023 with a bid price of $US16.24/MWh.

Phase by phase project execution table

!Phase!Capacity!Technology!Commissioned
First[24] 13 MWphotovoltaic2013
Second200 MWphotovoltaicApril 2017
Third[25] [26] Stage 1: 200 MWStage 2: 300 MW

Stage 3: 300 MW

photovoltaicMay 20182019

2020

Fourth[27] Stage 1: 600 MWStage 2: 100 MW

Stage 3: 217 MW

parabolic troughsolar power tower

photovoltaic

2022 (expected)[28] 2021

2021[29]

FifthStage 1: 330 MWStage 2: 600 MWphotovoltaicAugust 2021until 2023
Sixth1,800 MWphotovoltaic
Total4,660 MW

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Dubai Electricity & Water Authority Solar Park. 2017-03-24. en.
  2. Web site: Hill . Joshua S. . 2023-08-17 . UAE awards contract for huge 1.8GW solar park addition at record low prices . 2023-09-10 . RenewEconomy . en-AU.
  3. Web site: Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), ACWA Power, and Silk Road Fund reach financial closing on 950MW 4th phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. www.dewa.gov.ae.
  4. http://ameinfo.com/ ACWA Power wins 200 megawatts (260MWp) phase II Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, 17 January 2015
  5. Web site: Craig Morris. 27 November 2014. Solar in Dubai reaches record low price. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20170329104828/http://www.renewablesinternational.net/solar-in-dubai-reaches-record-low-price/150/452/83692/. 29 March 2017. 14 May 2015. RenewablesInternational.net.
  6. http://www.undp.org/content/dam/rbas/doc/Energy%20and%20Environment/The%20State%20of%20Dubai%27s%20Energy%20and%20Its%20Path%20to%20Green%20Economy.pdf STATE OF REPORT: Dubai 2014
  7. http://www.firstsolar.com/en/about-us/projects/dewa-13-solar-plant DEWA 13 Solar Plant
  8. FirstSolar Factsheet, PDF
  9. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2015-01-15/dubai-doubles-size-of-solar-plant-to-make-world-s-cheapest-power.html Dubai Doubles Power-Plant Size to Make Cheapest Solar Energy
  10. Web site: UAE PM inaugurates second phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar plant. Power Technology. 2017-03-24.
  11. Web site: First Solar Modules to Power Landmark 200MW Solar Photovoltaic Project in Dubai. 23 June 2015. MarketWatch.
  12. Web site: Solar in Dubai reaches record low price. 27 November 2014. RenewablesInternational.net. Craig Morris. 24 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170329104828/http://www.renewablesinternational.net/solar-in-dubai-reaches-record-low-price/150/452/83692/. 29 March 2017. dead.
  13. SolarServer.com DEWA announces 800 MW third Phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, 21 April 2015
  14. Web site: Dubai set for world's cheapest night-time solar power. 5 June 2017. 24 December 2017.
  15. Web site: ACWA Power / Shanghai Power Win Dubai Solar Auction with 7.3 Cents.CSP. 16 September 2017. 24 December 2017.
  16. Lilliestam, J. & Pitz-Paal, R. (2018) Concentrating solar power for less than USD 0.07 per kWh: finally the breakthrough? https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ref.2018.06.002
  17. Web site: Dubai Electricity & Water Authority | Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park adds 250MW to its 4th phase to reach 950MW taking total investment to AED 16 billion. www.dewa.gov.ae.
  18. Web site: ACWA POWER | Noor Energy 1. February 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210217080445/https://www.acwapower.com/en/projects/noor-energy-1/. 2021-02-17.
  19. Web site: About . Noor Energy . 11 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231211011444/https://noorenergy.ae/a-about/. 11 December 2023. live.
  20. Web site: Leeuwen . Hans van . COP28: Aussie companies bring vast Dubai energy solution Down Under . Australian Financial Review . 7 December 2023 . 11 December 2023.
  21. Web site: Pincus . Ward . Welcome to the CSP resurgence . Siemens Energy . 6 December 2023 . 11 December 2023.
  22. Web site: Mercer . Daniel . In the UAE desert, a shining beacon looms large. Experts say it could help Australia go green . . 10 December 2023 . 11 December 2023.
  23. Web site: Acwa Power consortium to build 900MW MBR Solar Park Phase 5. 2020-09-22. Construction Week Online Middle East. en.
  24. Web site: Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) will add 600MW of clean energy to its network from July 2019 to January 2020. www.dewa.gov.ae. en. 2019-06-30.
  25. Web site: MD & CEO of DEWA announces that the share of clean energy is around 9% of Dubai's energy mix. 2020-06-17. www.dewa.gov.ae. Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA). en.
  26. Web site: ACWA-led consortium signs PPA for 900-MW solar project in Dubai. 2020-06-17. Renewablesnow.com. en.
  27. Web site: Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) MBR Solar Park Phase 5. www.dewa.gov.ae. en. 2019-06-30.
  28. Web site: Mohammed bin Rashid inaugurates 300MW first stage of the fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. 2021-08-18. www.dewa.gov.ae. Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA). en.
  29. Web site: DEWA raises production capacity of the first project of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park's fifth phase to 330MW. 2022-01-25. www.dewa.gov.ae. en.