Road to renewables: Dubai surges ahead in solar power
DEWA supports strategies that aim to provide 100% of energy production from clean sources
Dubai: Dubai is making substantial strides in energy diversification, especially in the solar sector.
Dubai’s rooftop photovoltaic (PV) solar capacity under Shams Dubai programme reached a cumulative capacity of 500 megawatts (MW) in 2022.
Dr Aaesha Alnuaimi, director of the Innovation Centre at Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), speaking to Gulf News on the sidelines of the first Middle East and North Africa Solar Conference (MENA-SC) 2023 in Dubai, which concluded yesterday (November 18), said DEWA is putting together a clear roadmap in terms of the implementation and deployment of solar projects.
“You can see these efforts implemented in the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park,” she added.
The installed production capacity of the park currently stands at nearly 2,700 megawatts (MW), raising clean energy’s share in Dubai’s electricity production to over 16 per cent of the total capacity.
In 2020, a seven per cent solar energy target was surpassed, reaching an impressive nine per cent. Looking ahead, the 2030 goal of achieving 25 per cent solar contribution is on the horizon.
The diversification of energy projects in Dubai includes solar, hydropower, green hydrogen, and more in line with the emirate’s clean energy strategy that aims to produce 100 per cent of its energy requirements from clean sources by 2050.
From November 15 to 18, the MENA-SC 2023 conference was held in conjunction with the Water, Energy, Technology, and Environment Exhibition (WETEX) and Dubai Solar Show 2023.
Organised by DEWA, the MENA-SC focuses on all areas of photovoltaics with a rich programme on PV materials and devices, future technologies, PV reliability, and forecasting for performance assessment. Areas extend to system operation, concentrated solar power, and grid integration, all of which are key in accelerating the green energy transformation.
During the conference, experts explored the benefits of perovskite solar cells to enhance photovoltaic systems in the region’s climate conditions.