Businesses and even nations are gradually switching to solar energy. The future of electricity is clean renewable energy and the shift has started on a large scale. Last month, BBC report states that in Britain, solar energy has overtaken, fossil fuels already. This has become a growing trend.
As of today, the Noor Abu Dhabi project with a total capacity of 1,177MW is the largest operational single site solar project in the world. It’s important to make the distinction between this and a ‘solar park’. These are essentially areas of land ear-marked for solar and often with ready-to-go grid connections, where multiple projects will be built under the same banner, but developed and financed individually.
The Noor Abu Dhabi project, which is not state-financed is the work of a consortium that includes Abu Dhabi Power Corporation, Japan’s Marubeni Corp and Chinese solar manufacturer Jinko Solar.
The $870 million project was the result of a competitive tender process that will see electricity from the site sold to the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) for around 2.4 cents per kWh, a record at the time of the auction and a record for any completed solar project. It was built by the Indian firm Sterling & Wilson with nearly 3000 people working on site during the peak of activity.
“Noor Abu Dhabi will generate renewable energy and will enable us to improve the use of our natural resources,” said Othman Jumaa Al Ali, CEO, EWEC. “The fact that a project of such scale has been successfully completed on time and on budget highlights our commitment to ensuring sustainable energy for the future and it is a true testament of the Emirate’s delivery capabilities to execute world-class energy projects.”
Yoshiaki Yokota, Chief Operating Officer, Power Business Division of Marubeni Corporation said: “This project represents a significant milestone not only for the United Arab Emirates and the region, but for the global solar industry and for the future of renewable energy. As the Managing Member of this project, Marubeni will contribute to the UAE Energy Strategy through the project’s operations phase and we continue to contribute to the global energy sector as a leading energy solutions provider.”
Source: Forbes
