Have you visited the amazing Dubai Solar Park yet?
Clean energy production has been a major focus of the UAE’s efforts to secure long-term growth in the nation throughout the last decade. The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (also known as Dubai Solar Park) is one such initiative that is putting the UAE on the map when it comes to promoting sustainability. Today, we take a closer look at this one-of-a-kind Dubai Solar Park facility and its accomplishments!
ABOUT THE MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM SOLAR PARK
In 2012, the UAE launched the Green Economy initiative for sustainable developments to make the country a global leader in the green economy, products and technologies. The establishment of the DEWA Solar Park in Dubai is in line with this initiative and is part of a larger commitment to sustainable development projects across the UAE.
The Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 has the ambitious goal of achieving an energy mix largely based on renewable energy sources in the UAE. The goal of the strategy is to have 75% of the emirate’s energy come from clean sources by the year 2050, which amounts to about 42,000 MW (megawatts).
HOW DOES THE MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM SOLAR PARK CONTRIBUTE TO THIS STRATEGY?
The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Solar Park is one of the main pillars of this new age strategy. It was launched in 2012 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum — Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. The development of the solar park will further boost Dubai as a global leader in the clean and renewable energy sector.
The Dubai Solar Plant is the largest single-site solar energy project in the world, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. It has been implemented by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA).
By 2030, the Dubai Solar Park is expected to produce around 5,000 MW with a total investment of AED 50 billion! One of the interesting facts about the MBR Solar Park is that it is expected to reduce 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually when complete.
OTHER PROJECTS AT MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM SOLAR PARK
The Dubai Solar Park has a water desalination plant, as well as a Research and Development Centre.
DUBAI SOLAR PARK DESALINATION PLANT
The water desalination plant is powered by solar energy and uses Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology. The production capacity is 50 cubic metres, which is around 11,000 gallons a day. The UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia) is a partner in this innovative project to provide clean water to the needy in other countries through various initiatives.
INNOVATION CENTRE
The Innovation Centre at Dubai Solar Plant has various labs, workshops and testing facilities.
Dubai Solar Park’s Innovation Centre focuses on the development of the following four areas:
- Electricity production from solar power and other clean energy technologies
- Integration of smart grids
- Energy efficiency
- Water
The world’s first 3D-printed laboratory may be found within the facility. The Guinness World Record-holding lab was the creation of the DEWA Robotics and Drone Laboratory at the solar park.
In a short period of time, the Innovation Centre has made some landmark achievements.
- Achieved LEED Platinum status scoring 101 out of 110 in the first quarter of the year 2020.
- The sole government building globally to achieve greater than 100 points in the new construction section. This was achieved thanks to high marks in indoor environmental quality, energy efficiency, water efficiency, innovation and design.
- Top score globally for a public assembly building in the new construction section.
- The largest and first government centre to receive the ‘Done by Youth’ seal from the Federal Youth Authority.
Visiting the Dubai Solar Park
You can visit the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park to see this truly breathtaking feat of engineering with your own eyes and to learn more about the project. The park is open from 09:00 am to 04:00 pm, Saturday through Wednesday, with the last entry at 02:30 pm. On Thursdays, the timings are from 09:00 am to 12:00 noon, with the last entry at 10:30 am.
It’s closed for visitors on Fridays and public holidays. Make sure to book your visit before 02:30 pm, since that is the last visiting slot of the day.
The admission fees for adults are AED 50 and AED 30 for students and children above 3 years old. A visit to the Dubai Solar Park is free of charge for people of determination. For the Hologram Show and Metaverse Experience, you have to pay an extra fee of AED 30 each.
A tour of the facility includes a visit to their auditorium, where you will be shown an introduction video, briefing you on the mission of the solar park. After that, you will be taken on a tour of the MBR Solar Park Dubai Exhibit Area with plenty of zones full of information to explore, such as:
- A journey through history
- Light properties
- Solar properties
- The future of energy
- Hologram show
- Metaverse experience
Please make sure you follow the rules of the facility when you visit. Pets and smoking are not allowed at Dubai Solar Park. It’s also necessary to dress appropriately. You can find all the details about visiting Al Maktoum Solar Park Dubai’s official website.
FAQS ABOUT DUBAI SOLAR PARK
HOW WILL DUBAI SOLAR PARK HELP CONTRIBUTE TOWARDS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS IN THE UAE?
The Dubai Solar Park project will contribute through three main aspects, with the first being the environmental factor. With energy being generated using natural resources, dependency on carbon will reduce significantly. This will help in making this city a healthy and safe place to live in. It also supports the government’s social initiatives. All projects adhere to the good governance model and work ethics guidelines.
Lastly, the economic benefits are substantial. A large number of the population is already employed in the energy sector and with each project, the number rises. Furthermore, businesses in the region will undoubtedly benefit from reduced energy costs. Overall, this means that Dubai is supporting the global effort of attaining a sustainable growth model and MBR Solar Park Dubai is playing a big role in it.
WHAT ARE THE OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES THAT DUBAI SOLAR PARK FACES?
The Dubai landscape brings its own set of challenges for management. Dust accumulation on modules can adversely impact the capacity of power generation. To combat this, panel coating is applied to the modules.
In the long run, temperature fluctuations could speed up the degradation process of photovoltaics. During summers, Dubai sees temperatures as high as 50 degrees Celsius and as low as 15 degrees Celsius at night, which can increase the cost of the project. Hence, there are many challenges the staff at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai have to face.
WHERE IS THE DUBAI SOLAR PARK LOCATION?
Dubai Solar Park location is Saih Al-Dahal region, around 50 km south of central Dubai.
In the past few years, there has been a push from the government to move towards cleaner energy sources for residential homes, too. Now, Dubai residents can become more sustainable by powering their homes with solar energy with the Shams project by DEWA. Similarly, DEWA has also opened up electric car charging stations as a way of encouraging the use of such vehicles in the emirate.
All these projects are in line with the UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and the best thing is that many businesses and real estate developers are also jumping on the bandwagon. There are many eco-friendly neighbourhoods in Dubai. Sustainable City Dubai is one of the leading examples.
