PVTIME – On Friday, the UAE launched the world’s first and largest renewable energy project to combine solar power with battery storage, delivering round-the-clock baseload electricity and marking a breakthrough for the reliability of clean energy.
The $6 billion initiative, developed through a partnership between Masdar and the UAE’s Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), will supply up to 1GW of baseload power 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The project pairs a 5.2GW solar PV plant with a 19GWh battery energy storage system (BESS), and incorporates AI-enhanced forecasting and smart scheduling, as well as AI-backed infrastructure for predictive analysis and system optimisation. It also features cutting-edge elements such as virtual power plants, grid-forming capabilities, and black-start functionality.
The facility is set to begin operations in 2027 and will offer electricity at globally competitive rates, acting as a replicable blueprint to meet the growing global demand for clean, secure, 24/7 power. Masdar appointed key EPC contractors and suppliers for the solar PV modules and BESS in January 2025.
The project is expected to create over 10,000 jobs in the UAE, establish new manufacturing and service facilities, and reduce carbon emissions by around 5.7 million tonnes each year. Once operational, it will produce billions of units of baseload energy at globally competitive prices for the first time, setting a new international benchmark and reinforcing the UAE’s leadership in renewable energy development.
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