The largest #Solar Project in the world at 2GW in the UAE is now live!
☀️ Transforming utilities | General Manager Australia at Kaluza | Energy transition optimist | LinkedIn Top Voice | Networker | Speaker | Dad ☀️ (Views are my own)
The Al Dhafra #solar project in the UAE is now live. At 2 GW this is the largest single-site solar farm in the world. Located 35 km from Abu Dhabi, the project consists of nearly 4 million solar panels, covering 21 km² of desert. The panels are bifacial, which means they capture sunlight on both sides of the panel to maximise the electricity generated. Al Dhafra is expected to reduce the UAE's carbon emissions by 2.4 million tonnes per year, equivalent to removing nearly half a million cars from the road. There are some other nifty things about this project too: ➡️ During construction, a record-breaking 10 MW of solar panels were installed on average per day. ➡️ The project achieved one of the most competitive tariffs for solar power in the world at just USD 1.32 cents/kWh - this was a new world record when it was signed back in 2020. ➡️ And in case you thought those 4 million panels might get a bit dusty, the project employs a fleet of cleaning robots to keep the panels free from sand and dust. The UAE is one of the sunniest countries in the world and with vast swathes of largely empty desert I expect there are plenty more solar projects to come. Onwards and upwards! #energy #sustainability #renewables #energytransition