Solar power in the United Arab Emirates

While being a major oil producing country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken steps to introduce solar power on a large scale.

A consortium led by France's EDF and China's Jinko Solar will build the 20 square kilometres (7.7 sq mi) PV plant in the Al Dhafra region, about 35 km south of Abu Dhabi City, using bifacial (dual-sided) crystalline technology.

It is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi National Energy Company with a 40% share, and Masdar, EDF Renewables and Chinese equipment supplier Jinko Power with 20% each.

Masdar corp, a state owned renewable energy company was contracted to create the necessary infrastructure with 7 MW generated by the on site solar PV plant.

[11] ADNOC Distribution, which is the largest Petrol & Diesel retailer in the UAE plans to install solar panels on the roofs of its 502 gas stations across the country.

[16][17] The second phase is a 200 MWAC (260 MWp[18]) photovoltaic plant built at a cost of US$320 million by a consortium led by ACWA Power and Spanish company TSK.

[21] The 200-megawatt second phase of the project caused worldwide attention, as the winning bid of the tender set a new record-low tariff of only US ¢5.89 per kilowatt-hour in 2015.

[23] The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is one of the world's largest renewable projects based on an independent power producer (IPP) model.

[27] American University of Ras Al Khaimah conducts research on solar power and runs a solar/diesel hybrid mini-grids.

The projects demonstrated the potential for integrating solar power plants into existing brownfield hydrocarbon facilities and are expected to reduce the corporation’s carbon footprint by 8,600 tonnes over 25 years.