Dubai has achieved a new milestone in its drive toward clean energy transition, with the emirate’s flagship solar complex setting a Guinness World Record for the largest single-site concentrated solar power (CSP) project operated by a single entity.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) on Monday confirmed that the CSP project within the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park has been certified by Guinness World Records for its 700 megawatts (MW) capacity. the highest of any single-operator CSP facility globally.
The announcement was made at a formal ceremony where Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, DEWA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, received the record certificate from an official adjudicator. The event was attended by senior DEWA executives and project stakeholders.
“This global achievement supports the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum to establish Dubai as a global hub for clean energy and the green economy,” said Al Tayer. “It also reflects our continued commitment to adopting innovative technologies that drive our clean energy ambitions, including achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.”
The 950MW fourth phase of the solar park integrates three renewable energy technologies: 600MW from a CSP parabolic trough complex, 100MW from a solar tower using molten salt storage, and 250MW from photovoltaic (PV) solar panels. The project is part of Dubai’s wider efforts to diversify its energy mix and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
DEWA’s latest recognition follows two previous Guinness World Records awarded to the same project — for the world’s tallest CSP tower, standing at 263.1 metres, and for the largest thermal energy storage capacity, at 5,907 megawatt-hours.
Set in the desert southwest of Dubai, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site solar park in the world and a cornerstone of the UAE’s Energy Strategy 2050. The park is being developed in multiple phases with the goal of reaching 5,000MW capacity by 2030.
Al Tayer said the new record demonstrates Dubai’s ability to deliver mega infrastructure that aligns environmental priorities with economic growth. “This is not only a triumph of engineering and innovation, but also a model of sustainable development that ensures the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy environment,” he said.
The UAE, OPEC’s third-largest oil producer, has been accelerating its investment in renewables and low-carbon technologies as part of its climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and its own national net-zero roadmap.
The CSP project forms part of a growing clean energy portfolio in Dubai, which aims to source 25% of its energy from clean sources by 2030 and 100% by 2050.
The record-setting project was developed by DEWA in partnership with ACWA Power and China’s Shanghai Electric Group, using a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
It is estimated to power over 320,000 homes and reduce 1.6 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.
