New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
A groundbreaking ceremony has taken place to mark the start of what is being called the world’s largest combined solar power and battery storage project. The project, located in the UAE, will be capable of delivering 1 GW of baseload renewable energy round the clock, with the benefit of artificial intelligence (AI).
Developed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, owned by Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), the project claims to overcome the issue of intermittency in solar resources, by producing gigascale baseload at a globally competitive tariff ‘for the first time’.
The project will integrate a 5.2 GW solar photovoltaic plant with a 19 GWh battery energy storage system (BESS), claimed to be the largest of its kind in the world. The design features cutting-edge technologies including AI-enhanced forecasting and ‘intelligent’ dispatch, along with AI-ready infrastructure for predictive analysis and system optimisation. The facility is scheduled to be operational by 2027, costing over $6bn and creating over 10,000 jobs.
According to His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar: ‘This gigascale project is a step towards redefining the role of renewable energy for the information age.’ Masdar is positioning AI as a cornerstone of its economic diversification and has set the target of being a global leader in the sector with overall project portfolio capacity across clean energy technologies of 100 GW by 2030. Masdar has already established a strong presence in battery storage with investments in the US, UK and elsewhere.
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer at Masdar, said the groundbreaking represented a ‘pivotal moment in clean energy transformation’. ‘This world-first project, the largest and most ambitious in Masdar’s history, is a blueprint for the world, demonstrating that renewable energy can be dispatched around the clock.’
In other news, Masdar has been awarded the 1,400 MW Najran and 600 MW Jizan solar farm projects. The Najran project is expected to begin commercial operation in the first half of 2028, along with the 600 MW Al Darb project and the 2,000 MW Al Sadawi project which are expected to start in 2027. All support the kingdom’s Vision 2030 to source at least 50% of domestic power needs from renewable energy by 2030.
The Masdar portfolio in the kingdom also includes the 300 MW Jeddah solar plant and the 400 MW Al Jandal wind farm – Saudi Arabia’s first wind project and the largest in the Middle East.
