Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has been honored with the prestigious SolarPACES 2024 Technology Innovation Award for its pioneering 950 MW Phase IV Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Photovoltaic (PV) project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. Hamid Al Kindi, Sustainable Energy Manager at DEWA, accepted the award on behalf of the numerous international contributors during the closing ceremony of the SolarPACES 2024 Conference.
The award recognizes DEWA’s role in contracting with ACWA Power to deliver solar energy at a record-low price of 7.3 cents USD from what stands as the world’s largest CSP project. This landmark achievement was made possible through the collaborative efforts of numerous global research institutions and technology suppliers, who contributed groundbreaking technological advancements to the 600 MW Trough and 100 MW Tower CSP components of the project in the United Arab Emirates.
The 950 MW Phase IV CSP/PV project incorporates several significant CSP innovations that were commercialized for the first time, playing a crucial role in reducing costs and enhancing efficiency. These include a fully wireless communication system deployed across the entire heliostat field, eliminating traditional cabling and simplifying construction processes. The project also features an innovative interconnection with an auxiliary 110 MW PV facility to manage parasitic load. Furthermore, the hybridization with 250 MW of PV for daytime energy generation enables the 700 MW of CSP capacity to primarily focus on meeting Dubai’s nighttime electricity demands. The project also boasts the world’s largest total thermal energy storage capacity, amounting to 23,163 MWh.
Further details regarding the award and a description of the SolarPACES 2024 Technology Innovation Award for the 950MW Solar Hybrid Power Plant Phase I can be found at [Insert Link to Further Information Here, if available]. This recognition underscores DEWA’s commitment to driving innovation in sustainable energy and its leadership in the global transition towards clean power generation.
