Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has invited international developers to submit expressions of interest for the seventh phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a 1,600-megawatt (MW) project that includes a large-scale energy storage component.
The phase, expandable to 2,000MW, is expected to be among the world’s largest solar-plus-storage projects, with a battery energy storage system capable of storing 1,000MW of power for six hours, totaling 6,000 megawatt-hours (MWh).
Developed under the independent power producer (IPP) model, the seventh phase will contribute significantly to Dubai’s clean energy transition, with an estimated annual production of 4.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity.
The project is expected to displace the need to burn over 36 billion cubic feet of natural gas, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by around 8 million tonnes per year.
DEWA has set a deadline of March 21, 2025, for interested international developers or consortia to submit their expressions of interest.
The project will boost the planned capacity of the solar park from 5,000MW to 7,260MW, with clean energy’s share in Dubai’s energy mix expected to rise from 27% to 34% by 2030.
The seventh phase is scheduled to come online in stages between 2027 and 2029.
Dubai has positioned itself as a leader in renewable energy investments, leveraging the IPP model to attract global interest.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is already one of the world’s largest renewable energy projects, with a current production capacity of 3,460MW and an additional 1,200MW under construction.
DEWA’s latest move underscores the emirate’s commitment to decarbonizing its power sector, but industry analysts say the project will need to secure competitive bids to maintain its momentum.
While previous phases of the solar park have achieved record-low tariffs, the rising cost of energy storage technology could present new financial challenges for bidders.
