EWEC (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), a leading company in the integrated coordination of planning, purchasing and supply of water and electricity across the UAE, has announced the award for its 1.5 gigawatt (AC) Al Ajban Solar PV Independent Power Project.
The development of the utility-scale solar power plant was awarded to an international consortium of EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power Company (KOWEPO), and Masdar as the local shareholder. Following the award the project’s Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) was signed between EWEC and stakeholders.
The signing took place at the World Future Energy Summit in the presence of H.E. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President, Hamad Al Hammadi, Chairman of EWEC, and Luc Rémont, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EDF Group.
The agreement was signed by Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, Mohamed Jameel Al-Ramahi, Masdar Chief Executive Officer, Beatrice Buffon, Vice-President in Charge of the International Division and Chief Executive Officer of EDF Renewables, and Park, Hyung Duck, Chief Executive Officer of KOWEPO.
EWEC awarded the Al Ajban Solar PV contract after a comprehensive procurement process. The PPA is structured as an energy purchase agreement whereby EWEC will pay only for the net electrical energy supplied by the plant.
Under the terms of the PPA, the consortium will design, finance, build and operate the plant, which will be located in Al Ajban, 70km north-east of Abu Dhabi.
Once commercially operational in Q3 2026, Al Ajban Solar PV will make the UAE home to four of the world’s largest single-site solar power plants, with three of them located in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
The project will generate enough electricity to power 160,000 households across the UAE and is expected to reduce Abu Dhabi’s carbon emissions by 2.4 million metric tonnes per year.
H.E. Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President, said: "The UAE was the setting for the historic UAE Consensus achieved at COP28 and it is fitting that this latest ambitious solar power project will make our nation home to four of the largest single-site plants on the planet.
"The UAE is leading by example and matching words with actions in the global effort to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030, and keep the ambition of 1.5°C within reach."
Hamad Al Hammadi, Chairman of EWEC, said: “This agreement stands as a testament to the successful ecosystem of world-leading renewable projects in the UAE, reflecting the country’s commitment to accelerating the decarbonisation of the energy sector.
"We take pride in supporting this ambition by procuring renewable technologies and utility-scale solar PV projects, helping to set the pace for global sustainability initiatives and meet the targets set during COP28.”
Luc Rémont, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of EDF Group, commented: “We are grateful for the collaborative spirit demonstrated by EWEC in bringing the Al Ajban Solar PV plant to fruition.
"Together with its partners Masdar and KOWEPO, EDF Group is proud to contribute to the fight against climate change and to actively support Middle East countries to achieve their energy transition by proposing low-carbon solutions, including renewable energies, which is at the heart of EDF’s proposal for carbon neutrality.”
Renewable energy is crucial for Abu Dhabi's energy transition and sustainability strategy, serving as a catalyst in realising the ambitious goals outlined in the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative. The project’s financial close is expected by Q3 2024.
By 2030, EWEC is aiming to provide more than 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s electricity from renewable and clean energy sources, with its latest forecasts recommending the addition of 1.4GW of new solar PV per year between 2027-2037.