Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has organised a conference for qualifying international developers who intend to send their proposals for the third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to produce 800MW of electricity. The project will be implemented according to the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. The conference aims to clarify details of the last stage of the bid and answer bidders’ technical, financial and legal questions and enquiries. The conference supports the Dubai Green Energy Strategy 2050 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to make Dubai a global centre of clean energy and green economy.

Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director & CEO of DEWA, welcomed the developers and commended their willingness to participate in this important project, which will help to diversify the energy mix in Dubai, provide promising opportunities, and guarantee a brighter future for everyone.

Al Tayer praised the perseverance and abilities of the developers to have reached this stage. He noted that the interest shown by large international companies in the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park reflects their trust in projects supported by the Government of Dubai.

"Launching the second project of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, marks the beginning of a new era of an economy that is based on environmental sustainability and clean energy. This supports HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision of making Dubai the city with the lowest carbon footprint in the world. The project is one of the largest international renewable energy projects, and will develop electricity production techniques by using solar energy, its capacity will reach 1,000 megawatts (MW) by 2020 and 5,000 MW by 2030. The project involves total investments worth AED 50 billion, and will help achieve a reduction of approximately 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually, supporting Dubai Government’s green initiatives and programmes. DEWA has set a world record by obtaining the lowest price globally, at USD 5.6 cents per kilowatt (kW), for the second phase which will be operational in April 2017 using the Independent Power Produce (IPP) model," said Al Tayer.

"This meeting highlights the importance of unifying all relative government, and private organisations. In line with the UAE Vision 2021, and Dubai Plan 2021, to set a roadmap of ambitious initiatives and developmental projects, we work to provide the best government services and implement the best international practices to make people as satisfied and happy as possible," added Al Tayer.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the largest single-site strategic renewable energy project of its kind in the world, based on the IPP model. The 13MW first phase became operational in 2013. The 200MW second phase of the Solar Park will be operational by 2017, and the 800MW third phase will be operational by 2020.

"To achieve our vision of becoming a sustainable innovative world class utility, we are working to establish sustainability as the roadmap that secures a brighter and happier future for Dubai, by launching distinguished world-class initiatives and projects in green development," concluded Al Tayer.

The project, which is based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model, is another milestone achievement that will put Dubai and the UAE at the forefront of countries in the region by producing renewable and clean energy, in support of the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. DEWA sent the Expression of Interest (EOI) for the third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park on 8 September 2015 and received 95 EOI responses from Global market Solar IPP players on 29 September 2015. DEWA received 21 RFQ responses from international IPP bidders and consortium partners on 29 November 2015. DEWA sent a Request for Proposals (RFP) to qualified bidders in December 2015.

Source:WAM