Shanghai Electric completes new phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park

BUSINESS - NEWS

by Mehmet Kaplan

Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the world's largest photovoltaic (PV) plant under construction, continues to be completed step by step. The solar park, which will power more than 240,000 homes with an annual output of 2.268 billion kWh when completed, is an important part of Dubai's future-oriented energy source diversification policy.

A year after completing Phase A, Shanghai Electric succeeded in putting Phase B of the 900 MW fifth phase of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park into operation. Phase C is under construction and is scheduled to start operation in 2023.

At the time when the COVID-19 pandemic greatly disrupted the global supply chain, Shanghai Electric used new transportation alternatives to ensure the continuity of the project, even though transportation costs increased by about 10 times, and ensured that the construction proceeded according to the planned schedule. The problem of displacement of the sand dunes during the construction process and disrupting the structure of the construction site was also successfully solved by Shanghai Electric.

Shanghai Electric agreed with Acwa Power, the owner, developer, and operator of the Fifth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park, for the construction of the project in 2020. The construction of the project, which consists of phases A, B and C and will have a total installed power capacity of 1050 MW when completed, started in July 2020.

The project, which is planned to reduce annual carbon emissions by 1.6 million tons when complete, also makes a great contribution to the local economy with the employment it creates. Completion of the Mohammed bin Rashid Solar Park will be a major step forward for Dubai to achieve its 2050 renewable vision.