Dubai plans region's largest solar plant

Dubai: Dubai is planning to set up the region's largest solar power plant, Ali Bin Abdullah Al Owais, executive director of electricity affairs in the Energy Ministry, has said.

Speaking at the workshop on the "feasibility of renewable energy uses", held yesterday at City Centre Hotel, Al Owais noted that the UAE was keen on meeting its future electricity demand as it is set to diversify the energy sources.

He cited the launch of Masdar City, the first carbon emission-free city in the world, in Abu Dhabi recently.

He added that a feasibility study to exploit wind energy in Fujairah emirate to produce 66 megawatts of power has been completed.

Al Owais revealed at the workshop organised by the Energy Ministry that some public institutions have harnessed solar energy in limited ways.

Among them are the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, some of the electricity and water authorities across the UAE, municipalities, Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and etisalat.

He predicted that investments in the UAE in this field will amount to billions of dollars in another 10 years.

About 80 specialists and experts in the renewable energy field are taking part in the workshop.

The announcement of a plan to build the biggest solar plant in Dubai came in the wake of the UAE's move to adopt green building legislation, the first of its kind in the world.

Dubai hopes to become a sustainable building pioneer, and has started incorporating green building practices into new projects since the beginning of 2008.