Masdar and EWEC have announced plans to create the world’s first large-scale ‘round the clock’ solar and battery storage project in Abu Dhabi.
Delivering up to 1GW of baseload power every day generated from renewable energy, it will be the largest combined solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in the world.
The project will feature a 5.2GW (DC) solar photovoltaic plant, coupled with a 19GWh BESS, and is expected to create thousands of new jobs.
The UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan was present at the launch event.
Masdar chairman and Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr Sultan Al Jaber said: “For decades, the biggest barrier facing renewable energy has been intermittency – to be able to source uninterrupted clean power day and night.
“This has been the moonshot challenge of our time, and now… with this groundbreaking project we have found the solution.
“In collaboration with EWEC and our partners, we will develop a renewable energy facility capable of providing clean energy round the clock.
“For the first time ever, this will transform renewable energy into a world-leading 1GW of reliable baseload energy every day on an unprecedented scale – a first step that could become a giant leap for the world.”
Masdar’s chief executive officer Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi added that the project would create more than 10,000 new jobs, driving innovation and economic growth.
He said: “As Masdar’s largest and most ambitious project to date, combining an incredible 5.2GW of solar PV with 19GW hours of battery storage – the largest ever for a power utility project – this is truly clean energy on an unprecedented scale.”