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Ewec is set to develop more solar and wind farms: Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) secured approval for four renewable energy projects in Abu Dhabi, Wam reports. The projects include three solar plants in Al Faya, Al Khazna, and Al Zarraf, alongside a wind farm in Sila, which will contribute 4.5 GW of solar capacity and up to 140 MW of wind capacity to the emirate’s energy mix.
It’s a team effort: Ewec’s partners — Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi’s Department of Energy (DoE), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), Department of Municipalities and Transport, Abu Dhabi’s Environment Agency, and the Defense Ministry — helped select the sites.
REMEMBER- Ewec has ambitious renewable targets: The company aims to install 10 GW of solar capacity by 2030 and 18 GW by 2035. These goals are part of Ewec’s broader target to supply 60% of Abu Dhabi’s power demand from renewable and clean energy sources, supporting both the DoE’s Clean Energy by 2035 and the UAE’s Net Zero by 2050 strategies.
It has been busy: Ewec invited developers and consortiums in October to submit an expression of interest for the development of the 150 MW Al Sila wind farm and the 1.5 GW Zarraf solar plant in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra Region. This followed previous projects, including the now-operational 2 GW Al Dhafra solar plant, the 1.5 GW Al Ajban solar plant, which is still underway, and the 1.5 GW Khazna solar plant, which is still in the tendering process.
OTHER RENEWABLES NEWS-
Masdar-backed Infinity Power + Pele awarded six solar projects in South Africa: Infinity Power — a joint venture between Infinity and renewables giant Masdar — and Pele Green Energy have been awarded six solar projects with a total capacity of 1.28 GW, according to a press release. The projects will cut 3.2 mn tonnes of CO2 emissions and triple the JV’s capacity in South Africa.
The details: The projects were part of the seventh round of the South Africa (SA) Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). Each project will be 51% owned by Infinity and 49% owned by Pele Green Energy. The breakdown:
- The 240 MW Highveld plant in the Province of Mpumalanga;
- Three plants — including the 240 MW Palladium 1 and Copper 1 and 150 MW Vanadium 1 — in Limpopo Province;
- The 220 MW Onderstepoort 1 and 190 MW Onderstepoort 2 in North West Province.
What’s next? The companies expect to sign Implementation and Power Purchase Agreements with the government within the next eight months. Once the agreements are secured, the development and construction of the projects will begin.
