Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), Abu Dhabi has announced plans to develop 4.6 GW of renewable energy projects across four sites in the emirate. These projects will include both solar and wind power installations, covering a total area of 75 square kilometers.
The projects will consist of three solar photovoltaic (PV) plants and one wind farm. The solar plants will be located in Al Faya, Al Khazna, and Al Zarraf, with a combined capacity of 4.5 GW (AC). The wind farm, located in Sila, will add 140 MW of capacity. These developments are part of EWEC’s broader goal of reaching 10 GW of installed solar PV capacity by 2030 and 18 GW by 2035.
EWEC stated that these renewable energy projects are in line with Abu Dhabi’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 and the UAE’s national plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. The initiative involves collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy (DoE), the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Ministry of Defence. Stakeholders have emphasized the need to align the projects with regulatory frameworks to ensure decarbonization of the energy sector.
In addition to these new projects, EWEC has been progressing with other renewable energy initiatives. In November 2023, it received three bids for the development of the 1.5 GW Khazna solar PV project. Bidders include Engie, a consortium of EDF Renewables and Korean Western Power (Kowepo), and a consortium of Jinko Power and Jera. The contract for the Khazna project is expected to be awarded in the second quarter of 2025. EWEC also launched a tender in October 2023 for the 1.5 GW Zarraf solar PV project, located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra region. This project is part of EWEC’s plan to add 1.4 GW of new solar capacity annually from 2027 to 2037.
