Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) have broken ground on the world’s largest combined solar and battery storage project, the companies announced on Friday.
Located in Abu Dhabi and slated for completion in 2027, the project will integrate a 5.2-GW solar PV plant with a 19-GWh battery energy storage system (BESS) to deliver 1 GW of baseload renewable energy around the clock, avoiding an estimated 5.7 million tonnes per year of carbon dioxide emissions.
“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,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar.
“Abu Dhabi and the UAE are a global hub for AI research, innovation and adoption, and this project will ensure that the energy needs of this key sector are met sustainably, powering the next generation of economic growth,” added Ahmed Ali Alshamsi, CEO of EWEC.
Masdar is a global renewable energy company headquartered in Abu Dhabi and jointly owned by TAQA, ADNOC and Mubadala. The company owns solar, wind, waste-to-energy and BESS projects and is targeting a renewables portfolio of 100 GW by 2030.
EWEC is the sole water and power procurement company for Abu Dhabi and manages energy planning, forecasting and dispatch. The company’s mandate includes delivering 60% of Abu Dhabi’s energy from clean sources by 2035.
Source: Theenergyyear.com