DEWA invites bids for 1,600MW seventh phase of Dubai’s mega solar park

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has invited international developers to submit expressions of interest (EOI) for the 1,600-megawatt (MW) seventh phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

Expanding capacity with solar and battery storage

Designed to be expandable to 2,000MW, this phase will incorporate photovoltaic (PV) solar panels and a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a 1,000MW capacity for six hours, totaling 6,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage. This makes it one of the largest solar-plus-storage projects globally.

Implementation and energy impact

Developed under the independent power producer (IPP) model, the project will generate an estimated 4.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually, eliminating the need for more than 36 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

The solar park’s total planned capacity will grow from 5,000MW to 7,260MW, increasing the share of clean energy in Dubai’s energy mix from 27% to 34% by 2030. This will cut carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from 6.5 million tonnes to nearly 8 million tonnes per year, strengthening Dubai’s position as a global leader in renewable energy and sustainability.

DEWA has set a deadline of March 21, 2025, for interested developers or consortiums to submit their EOIs. The seventh phase is expected to become operational in stages between 2027 and 2029.

Currently, the solar park has a production capacity of 3,460MW, with an additional 1,200MW under construction.