Dubai - Mubasher: The Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, has inaugurated on Monday the 200 megawatt (MW) second phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

This is the first and largest solar-energy project in the region, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. It was accomplished through a partnership between Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and the consortium led by ACWA Power from Saudi Arabia, the main developer of the project, and TSK from Spain, the main contractor, with an investment of AED 1.2 billion, according to a press release.

The phase can generate clean energy for 50,000 residences in Dubai, and will reduce 214,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually.

This phase installed 2.3 million photovoltaic solar panels over 4.5 square kilometres with 1.5 million Safe Man Hours without lost time injury during project execution.

The inauguration coincided with the International Day of Happiness, the statement noted.

Dubai’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 aims at generating 7% of the emirate’s total power output from clean energy by 2020, 25% by 2030, and 75% by 2050, said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, managing director and CEO of (DEWA).

“The project is the largest single-site solar park in the world, based on the IPP model, with a planned capacity of 1,000 megawatts by 2020 and 5,000 megawatts by 2030, with a total investment of AED 50 billion.”

“It will eventually save over 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year, supporting Dubai’s objectives to promote sustainable development and a green economy,” added Al Tayer.