Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has awarded a contract to France’s ENGIE and Abu Dhabi-based Masdar to develop the 1.5-gigawatt Khazna Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Project, a major step toward expanding the emirate’s renewable energy capacity.
The companies signed a long-term Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with EWEC following a competitive procurement process. The project, to be located near Al Khazna in Abu Dhabi, will generate enough electricity to power around 160,000 homes and is expected to offset more than 2.4 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
Once operational, Khazna Solar PV will feature nearly three million solar panels equipped with tracking technology to follow the sun’s path, maximizing energy output. It will play a key role in helping EWEC achieve its target of 18GW of solar power capacity by 2035, meeting up to 60% of Abu Dhabi’s electricity demand from clean sources in line with the emirate’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035.
“Khazna Solar PV, our fourth world-leading utility-scale solar project, is a strategic asset that accelerates the UAE’s renewable energy journey,” said Ahmed Ali Al Shamsi, CEO of EWEC. “By partnering with ENGIE and Masdar, we are leveraging world-class expertise to strengthen national energy security and sustainability.”
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said the project reinforces Masdar’s long-standing collaboration with EWEC and marks another milestone in the UAE’s clean energy transition. “This gigawatt-scale solar development will support the nation’s sustainability goals while creating opportunities for green growth,” he said.
Paulo Almirante, ENGIE’s Senior Vice President for Renewable and Flexible Power, called Khazna Solar PV “a landmark project” that will become the company’s largest photovoltaic asset globally. “It reflects our shared ambition for decarbonisation and the power of public-private collaboration to accelerate renewable deployment,” he added.
Under the PPA, ENGIE and Masdar will design, finance, build, and operate the solar plant, with EWEC purchasing only the net electricity supplied. The facility will incorporate advanced digital technologies such as IoT-enabled sensors, cloud-based analytics, and robotic cleaning systems to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Financial close for the project is expected by the end of 2025. EWEC said the development aligns with Abu Dhabi’s broader energy transition strategy, which aims to produce over 50% of power from renewable and clean energy sources by 2030 and cut the emirate’s average carbon intensity from 330 kg to 150 kg of CO₂ per megawatt hour.
The Khazna Solar PV project follows earlier large-scale solar initiatives led by EWEC, including Noor Abu Dhabi and Al Dhafra Solar PV, positioning the UAE among the world’s leading markets for utility-scale solar power.
