Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi is planning to build another solar power plant in addition to the Sweihan plant, which is expected to commence operations by mid-2019, a senior official from Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (Adwea) told Gulf News.
“We are studying this project and there will be announcement this year. It will be bigger than the current solar project which is under construction in Sweihan. It will be a joint collaborative project between Adwea and private companies to meet the growing energy demand,” said Adel Al Saeedi, acting director of privatisation in Adwea, on the sidelines of UAE economic outlook forum in Abu Dhabi. He did not disclose further details.
Abu Dhabi is currently building the world’s largest solar plant in Sweihan at an estimated cost of $870 million as it works towards generating more clean energy. The project is being undertaken by Adwea in cooperation with Japanese company Marubeni, and Chinese manufacturer JinkoSolar. Abu Dhabi has set a target of 7 per cent of renewable energy by 2020.
Al Saeedi also said they invited international firms to express interest in building a water desalination plant in Taweelah, about 45 kilometres north of the capital for potable water supply.
The project will comprise the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of a greenfield reverse osmosis seawater desalination plant with a capacity of 200 million gallons per day.
