| Solar power
Aiming for round-the-clock GW-scale PV in Abu Dhabi
A large hybrid battery/PV facility under construction in Abu Dhabi will be able to provide 1 GW of baseload 24/7 solar power, an important milestone for renewables
Following inaugural groundbreaking in October, construction is now underway in the inland desert of the eastern Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi on a hybrid PV/storage facility of unprecedented scale: 5.2 GW of bifacial PV combined with a 19 GWh of LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery energy storage, resulting in the ability to “deliver 1 GW of stable 24/7 renewable power.”
The world-first project, aiming for completion as soon as 2027, has been developed and is being implemented by Masdar, in partnership with EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company). Representing a capital investment of more than AED22 billion – Masdar’s biggest project to date – it is said to be “reimagining the potential of renewable energy”, producing gigascale round-the-clock baseload power at “a globally competitive tariff for the first time.” On completion, the PV park will rank among the world’s largest single-site solar PV facilities. The PV technology will comprise bifacial crystalline silicon modules mounted on single-axis trackers to maximise energy yield under Abu Dhabi’s high irradiance conditions. The project will entail installation of more than 5.6 million PV modules.
The new hybrid facility will supply reliable, clean electricity to a local data centre, as well as to the grid, underpinned by a 30-year power purchase agreement with EWEC. Electricity generated will be collected through strings and inverters, stepped up to grid voltage, and transmitted to the Abu Dhabi grid via dedicated substations
and 400 kV underground connections managed by Abu Dhabi Transmission and Despatch Company (TRANSCO).
The integrated battery energy storage system – designed for a 30-year lifetime – will enhance system flexibility and grid stability by storing excess solar power and releasing it when demand peaks. The battery storage system is employing modular containerised enclosures designed for high safety, corrosion resistance, and operation under extreme desert conditions, notes Masdar, with advanced cooling and fire protection systems to mitigate risks of overheating or thermal runaway, and layout and spacing conforming to NFPA and IFC standards. The project design features include implementation of a virtual power plant concept, grid-forming and black start capabilities, and AI-enhanced forecasting and intelligent dispatch.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, said: “This world-first project, the largest and most ambitious in Masdar’s history, is a blueprint for the world, demonstrating that renewable energy can be dispatched around the clock. By overcoming the challenge of intermittency, we can provide sustainable power to meet fast-growing demand from advancements in artificial intelligence and other technologies.” It can be seen as a “landmark moment for clean energy” says Kostantsa Rangelova, Global Electricity Analyst, Ember. “For the first time, gigawatt-scale solar will operate around the clock, delivering reliable electricity every hour
of the year. It shows that renewable energy is capable of meeting the same demand that was once only thought possible with fossil fuels. “The Masdar project demonstrates that round-the-clock clean power can be delivered at competitive tariffs compared with conventional baseload like gas turbines. Alongside rapid cost declines, the technology has also improved: grid batteries are increasingly “plug and play”, enabling faster and cheaper deployment; warranties now extend up to 20 years; fire risks have been reduced to near-zero and the mineral, carbon and land footprint is only a fraction of what it was. “As utility-scale solar farms expand worldwide, the question is no longer ‘if’ they have batteries, but rather ‘how much’.”
Refinancing PV and building new gas plant
TAQA (Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC), along with EWEC, Masdar, EDF, and Jinko Power have together recently announced the issuance of long-term green bonds to refinance an existing PV mega facility in the Al Dhafra region, the 2 GW Al Dhafra solar PV independent power plant (pictured below), amounting to a total of US $870.75 million (AED 3.2 billion). Meanwhile, TAQA and EWEC have also announced financial close on an AED 3.6 billion gas turbine based 1 GW power plant also to be located in the Al Dhafra region. This will “provide power to data centre projects and advance the UAE National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence 2031.
www.modernpowersystems.com | March 2026 | 35
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