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While being a major oil producing country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken steps to introduce solar power on a large scale. However, solar power still accounts for a small share of energy production in the country.
This page provides information about the various solar power plants and projects in the UAE. Al Dhafra Solar PV is the world’s largest single-site solar power plant. The 2GW Al Dhafra Solar PV plant was inaugurated in November 2023. It was built in a single phase.
With a storage capacity of over 1500 MW, it uses water stored in the Hatta Dam to generate solar energy. Dubai is spearheading the development of novel technologies for green hydrogen production using clean and renewable energy. Green hydrogen production is projected to increase by 57% annually, reaching 5.7 million tonnes in 2030.
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority ‘DEWA’ unveiled an ambitious industry-friendly energy policy that encourages manufacturers, factories, data centres and agritech firms to use solar power matching their total connected load.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, home to the world’s largest thermal storage capacity, reinforces Dubai’s leadership in clean energy. DEWA has also achieved the world’s lowest solar energy prices five times, setting a global benchmark for affordability and sustainability.
Dubai’s DEWA and Noor Energy 1 set a world record with a 5,907 MWh thermal energy storage plant on June 25, 2023. Using CSP technology with molten salt, this system enables 24/7 electricity generation, supporting the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 and Net Zero Emissions Strategy 2050.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has made an extraordinary leap in sustainable energy by achieving the highest capacity single-operator concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, with a groundbreaking 700 MW capacity.
It has a planned production capacity of 5,000 MW by 2030, with investments totalling D 50 billion. When completed, it will save over 6.5 million tons of carbon emissions annually. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park contributed to DEWA winning the Best Sustainable Project of the Year in the UAE at the 2014 MEED Quality Awards.
A significant part of the deal includes the Power Up Plan—an initiative with the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity (MoE) for critical electricity generation and maintenance projects throughout the country. Phase I of the plan added more than 700 megawatts (MW) of power to the grid in 2016.
Iraq's electricity generation primarily depends on fossil fuels. In 202, natural gas was the largest source at 50.4% of the total, followed by oil at 47.6%. Renewable energy, mainly from hydroelectric power, contributed 2%. As of 2023, the 30 gigawatts (GW) of installed capacity cannot meet summer peak demand.
While some of the damage of the 1991 war was repaired and about 4,500 MW of generating capacity was available in 1999 when Iraq reorganized its electricity sector. The sector was separated from the Ministry of Industry, and the Commission of Electricity (CoE) was established on June 21, 1999.
Summer peak demand 6,800–7,500 MW; 35 to 40% of the summer peak demand cannot be satisfied at present. Lack of electricity tends to affect more severely the most vulnerable groups of Iraq's society and increases their morbidity and mortality. Ongoing efforts need to be maintained and new actions to increase electricity supply need to be initiated.
