Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) announced today the launch of the world’s first large-scale ‘round the clock’ gigascale project, combining solar power and battery storage in Abu Dhabi, in the presence of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and chairman of Masdar, and His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Alsuwaidi, Minister of Investment and managing director and group CEO of ADQ, announced the launch.
“For decades, the biggest barrier facing renewable energy has been intermittency—to be able to source uninterrupted clean power day and night. This has been the moonshot challenge of our time, and now, thanks to the resolute support of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with this groundbreaking project we have found the solution,” stated Al Jaber.
Project to deliver 1 gigawatt of baseload power every day
The launch of the solar power and battery storage project marks a pivotal moment in the clean energy transformation, allowing renewable energy to be dispatched 24 hours a day, seven days a week, reaffirming the UAE’s position as a global pioneer in renewable energy deployment.
Delivering up to 1 gigawatt of baseload power every day generated from renewable energy, the UAE’s latest project will be the largest solar and battery energy storage system in the world. Located in Abu Dhabi, the project will feature a 5.2 gigawatt DC solar photovoltaic plant, coupled with a 19 gigawatt-hour battery energy storage system, setting a global benchmark in clean energy innovation.
“In collaboration with EWEC and our partners, we will develop a renewable energy facility capable of providing clean energy round the clock. For the first time ever, this will transform renewable energy into a world-leading 1 gigawatt of reliable baseload energy every day on an unprecedented scale – a first step that could become a giant leap for the world,” added Al Jaber.
Milestone in UAE’s energy transformation
This solar power and battery storage project demonstrates the remarkable scale and ambition of the UAE’s energy transformation, delivering clean energy to power advancements in emerging technologies. The world-leading project also reflects the vision and commitment of the UAE leadership in driving socioeconomic and environmental progress.
“By advancing energy infrastructure, we are leading the way in developing cost-effective, scalable renewable energy, solidifying Abu Dhabi’s position as a key player in shaping the future of global energy. Guided by the UAE leadership, this united effort within the energy sector powers the nation’s technological advancement, ushering in a new era of intelligence, resilience, flexibility, and commercial opportunity while ensuring sustainable and uninterrupted energy for exponential growth,” stated Alsuwaidi.
By launching the world’s largest solar PV and Battery Energy Storage System, Abu Dhabi is setting a new global standard for sustainable energy development and innovation. As the backbone of the nation’s clean energy transition, this facility will support critical industries such as AI and other new technologies, ensuring that the UAE meets their power needs sustainably and reliably.
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Project to create over 10,000 new jobs
For his part, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said that the record-breaking solar power and battery storage project will create over 10,000 new jobs, driving innovation and economic growth.
“As Masdar’s largest and most ambitious project to date, combining an incredible 5.2GW of solar PV with 19GW hours of battery storage – the largest ever for a power utility project – this is truly clean energy on an unprecedented scale,” he added.
The solar PV and BESS facility will provide stability and efficiency by overcoming the intermittency challenges of renewable energy. In addition, the 19GWh battery storage facility will enable seamless integration of solar power into the grid.
By integrating state-of-the-art renewable technologies with energy storage solutions, this landmark project exemplifies the UAE’s commitment to scaling innovative clean energy solutions to meet evolving energy demands. This initiative also supports the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, and the facility will play a transformative role in energy systems, ensuring the UAE continues to lead by example in delivering towards the historic UAE Consensus agreed at COP28.
