Union Coop has signed an agreement with Positive Zero to install solar photovoltaic systems at up to 30 locations. These systems will be placed on rooftops and parking areas of Union Coop stores in Dubai and at the headquarters of Umm Al Quwain Coop.
The project is expected to be completed by mid-2026. It will have an installed capacity of 17.3 megawatts. The systems are estimated to produce 29.23 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year. This is enough to supply electricity to about 4,000 homes annually.
The project is estimated to reduce 21,650 tons of carbon emissions every year. This reduction is roughly equal to the effect of planting 325,000 trees.
The installation supports targets under the UAE Net Zero 2050 Strategic Initiative and the UAE Energy Strategy 2050. These plans aim to increase the share of clean energy in the national energy mix to 30% by 2030.
The agreement was signed at Union Coop’s Al Warqa City Mall headquarters in Dubai. Officials from Union Coop and Positive Zero were present at the signing. These included Union Coop CEO Mohamed Al Hashemi, Chief Real Estate Officer Ahmed Al Zarooni, Positive Zero Chairman Mohammed Abdulghaffar Hussain, CEO David Auriau, and Generation Business CEO Laurent Longuet.
This solar energy rollout is one of the largest in the Middle East retail sector.
Separately, other renewable energy initiatives in the UAE include rooftop solar programs at schools in Sharjah and municipal buildings in Ajman. For example, Ajman Municipality has installed a 1.2 MW solar system across multiple buildings. In Ras Al Khaimah, the Barjeel Green Building Regulations have supported installation of small-scale solar systems on government facilities, adding more than 2.5 MW of clean energy since 2022.
