Sharjah has started using solar energy to power one of its gas processing plants. The project is called “Sana” and is the first large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in the emirate.
The 60 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar plant is located at the Sajaa Gas Plant. It now supplies all the electricity needed by the gas facility. Any extra energy is sent to the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) grid.
The project was developed through a partnership between Emerge and Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC). Emerge is a joint venture between Masdar of the UAE and France’s EDF.
The solar plant is designed under a Build–Own–Operate–Transfer (BOOT) model. Emerge handled all parts of the project, including funding, design, equipment, and construction. It will also manage operations and maintenance for 25 years.
According to official data, “Sana” is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 56,600 tons every year. It can generate enough electricity to power around 13,780 homes annually, based on average UAE consumption.
This is one of the first projects worldwide where a gas processing plant runs fully on solar energy. The energy generated by the solar panels helps SNOC continue its operations while using a cleaner energy source. The goal is also to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for electricity within the energy sector itself.
In Sharjah, other smaller-scale renewable energy efforts have also begun. SEWA has installed rooftop solar systems on several government buildings, with a combined capacity of 1.2 MW. These systems help reduce energy use from the grid and serve as pilot projects for future rooftop solar expansion in the emirate.
Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park (SRTIP) is also testing floating solar panels on artificial water bodies. A trial system of 100 kilowatts (kW) has been deployed to study the impact of temperature on efficiency.
