Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has issued Request for Proposals (RFPs) for the 800-megawatt third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park project.

The facility, to be developed as an independent power producer (IPP) model, is the largest single-site solar project in the world. It will produce 1,000MW by 2020 and 5,000MW by 2030, at a total investment of Dh50 billion ($13.6 billion), said a statement from Dewa.

This supports Dubai Government’s Clean Energy Strategy 2050 which is aimed at reducing carbon emissions.

Under this plan, initially 25 per cent of Dubai's energy will come from clean sources by 2030 which will be increased to 100 per cent by 2030, it stated.

On the project's progress, Dewa said the 13MW first phase became operational in 2013. The work is progressing well on the 200MW second phase of the Solar Park which will be operational by 2017, and the 800MW third phase by 2020.

"We are determined to continue building and developing a greener economy, to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 to instill a sustainable environment in terms of air quality, conserving water resources, more reliance on clean energy, and implementing green development in Dubai," remarked Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, the managing director and chief executive of Dewa.

"We support the long-term "Green Economy for Sustainable Development" initiative to build a green economy in the UAE. We also support Dubai Plan 2021 to establish the emirate as a smart and sustainable city, whose environmental elements are clean, healthy, and sustainable," said Al Tayer.

"We are inspired to achieve these ambitious goals of our wise leadership who support the plan to diversify our energy mix to ensure energy security, and build a sustainable future, for generations to come," he stated.

Dewa said it expects to receive response to RFP project's tender by the end of the second quarter in 2016.-TradeArabia News Service