Abu Dhabi's Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has opened a call for proposals for 1.5 GW AC Al-Ajban Solar PV Project from companies and consortiums shortlisted under the request for qualification (RFQ) round launched in July 2022 (see RFQ For 1.5 GW Abu Dhabi Solar Project).
According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), 43 applicants came forward with their expression of interest (EOI) for the Al-Ajban project and 19 of them moved to the RFP stage after submitting statements of qualifications. Now these candidates will submit detailed technical and other parameters.
The winner will be required to develop, finance, construct, operate, maintain and own the plant on completion. EWEC announced the RFP on its Twitter account. Details of the RFP can be sourced from its website.
EWEC plans the Al-Ajban project to be a greenfield facility to be located in Abu Dhabi's Ajban region. It will be the agency's 3rd utility scale solar PV project after 1.17 GW Noor Abu Dhabi PV plant that's already operational, and 2 GW Al Dhafra solar facility currently under construction. All these solar power plants will contribute to the UAE's net zero goal by 2050 goal.
On December 20, 2022, EWEC said for the 1st time ever more than 60% of the total power demand across the UAE was delivered from renewable and clean energy sources, with a generation capacity of close to 5.5 GW out of total 8.6 GW system power demand being supplied from its solar and nuclear energy plants.