Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced an increase in the 2030 capacity target for the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, raising it from 5,000 megawatts (MW) to more than 8,000MW. The solar park, launched in 2012 under the guidance of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, currently produces 3,860MW.

The expansion reflects the UAE’s broader efforts to advance renewable energy and meet the goals of the UAE Consensus agreed at COP28 in Dubai, which aims to triple global renewable energy capacity to 11.2 terawatts by 2030. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, global renewable energy capacity reached a record 582 gigawatts in 2024, including 452GW from solar, underscoring steady progress toward these targets.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA, said the solar park now accounts for 21.5% of DEWA’s total capacity and will rise to 36% by 2030, compared with 25% under the original plan. The expansion is expected to cut more than 8.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

The project supports the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative, the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, and the Dubai Net Zero Carbon Emissions Strategy 2050, which target 100% of Dubai’s energy production from clean sources by mid-century. DEWA implements the project through an independent power producer (IPP) model, integrating private sector investment, advanced technology, and operational innovation, including artificial intelligence, which has increased photovoltaic panel efficiency from 11% to 24%.

The solar park is both a major energy project and a platform for technological innovation. Five phases are complete, with a sixth underway. DEWA has invited proposals for the seventh phase, which will add 2,000MW of photovoltaic capacity and a 1,400MW battery storage system, making it one of the largest solar-plus-storage projects globally.

The fourth phase, 950MW in total with 700MW concentrated solar power (CSP) and 250MW photovoltaic capacity, set four Guinness World Records: highest capacity single-operator CSP plant (700MW), tallest CSP tower (263.126 meters), largest thermal energy storage facility (5,907 MWh), and longest continuous CSP plant operation (39 days).

Photo credits: Government of Dubai Media Office

Alexander Agafiev Macambira

Alexander Agafiev Macambira is former tech contributing writer for Forbes Monaco.