Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has signed a strategic framework agreement with Masdar to accelerate the rollout of large-scale renewable energy projects, as the United Arab Emirates pushes to meet its long-term decarbonisation targets.
The agreement sets out a roadmap to support the development of more than 30 gigawatts of solar photovoltaic capacity and over 8 gigawatts of battery storage by 2035, in one of the region’s most ambitious clean energy expansion plans. The framework is designed to streamline project development and procurement processes while maintaining competitive tendering standards, EWEC said in a statement.
The deal builds on an existing partnership between the two companies, which have jointly delivered several large solar projects in Abu Dhabi, including the Al Dhafra and Al Ajban plants. Officials said the new framework would improve efficiency in early-stage project development through to financial close, helping to accelerate deployment timelines.
Ahmed Alshamsi, CEO of EWEC said the agreement would support Abu Dhabi’s target of meeting 60% of its energy demand from renewable and clean sources by 2035, while strengthening long-term energy security. He added that integrating battery storage at scale would be critical to balancing supply as renewable capacity increases.
Masdar CEO Mohamed Al Ramahi said the partnership would help deliver “reliable, affordable, clean power” to support both national energy needs and industrial growth, pointing to projects such as the emirate’s planned round-the-clock solar and storage scheme.
The UAE has been stepping up investment in renewable energy as part of its Net Zero by 2050 strategy, with Abu Dhabi positioning itself as a regional hub for utility-scale solar and emerging storage technologies. The latest agreement also aims to boost local economic participation by maximising in-country value and developing Emirati expertise.
Renewables are expected to play a central role in the emirate’s future energy mix, alongside efforts to decarbonise water production and expand clean power capacity to meet rising demand from industry and population growth.
