meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Top 10 UAE clean energy projects

18 October 2023

 

Register for MEED's guest programme 

The UAE is expected to showcase its growing green credentials at the Cop28 climate summit, which starts on 30 November in Dubai.

In addition to gradually phasing out fossil fuel subsidies and eliminating methane flaring, UAE-based energy and utility companies have mobilised multibillion-dollar public and private investments in utility-scale clean and renewable energy plants, reverse osmosis technology-based water desalination plants and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) projects.   

These projects aim to reduce harmful emissions – mainly carbon dioxide – offsetting the environmental impact of the country’s oil industry while it aims to meet its nationally determined contributions (NDCs) for the Paris Agreement, its energy diversification agenda set in 2017, as well as its 2050 net-zero target.

Barakah nuclear power plant

Three of the four reactors at the $29bn Barakah nuclear power plant, located close to the UAE’s border with Saudi Arabia, are operational. Each unit can produce 1,400MW of electricity. The UAE is also looking for opportunities to export its nuclear expertise by investing in and developing nuclear power plants overseas.

Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum Solar Park

The UAE’s first and largest solar photovoltaic (PV) installation is located 50 kilometres away from the Cop28 venue. Nearly all the first five phases of the solar park are operational, with a total combined installed capacity of more than 2.4GW. The project’s fourth phase, probably the world’s largest hybrid solar PV and concentrated solar power plant, is nearing completion. The contract to develop the project’s sixth phase, which is designed to have an installed capacity of 1.8GW, has been awarded this year.

Sweihan and Al-Dhafra solar power plants

Abu Dhabi’s first solar PV plant, the 935MW Sweihan independent power project (IPP), began operating in 2019. The UAE capital’s second utility-scale solar PV IPP in Al-Dhafra, which has a capacity of 1.5GW, is expected to be inaugurated imminently. Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) received world-record-low tariffs, as has Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa), for these projects.

Taweelah reverse osmosis facility

With a capacity of 200 million imperial gallons a day, the plant is the world’s largest reverse osmosis-based water desalination facility. Half of the plant’s capacity was completed in 2022, with the other half now in the final commissioning stage. Taweelah is the country’s first independent water producer project, which resulted from the drive to decouple water and power production as a key initiative to decarbonise both sectors.

Reyadah CCUS

Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) have been operating the Al-Reyadah carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) facility since 2016. It can capture up to 800,000 tonnes a year (t/y) of carbon dioxide. About 240,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), collected by Al-Reyadah from Emirates Steel Industries, has been injected into Adnoc's reservoirs at its Rumaitha and Bab oil fields to bolster oil recovery.

The project is in line with Adnoc’s commitment to decarbonise its operations, reduce its carbon intensity by 25 per cent by 2030, and deliver on its net zero by 2045 goal. Adnoc estimates the volume of CO2 being locked away underground daily through CCUS deployment across its reservoirs is equivalent to the emissions of more than 1 million vehicles.

Habshan CCUS

Adnoc Gas recently awarded UK-headquartered Petrofac the main contract for a project to develop a $615m carbon capture facility at its Habshan gas processing complex in Abu Dhabi. The Habshan CCUS facility will have the capacity to capture and permanently store 1.5 million t/y of CO2 within geological formations deep underground.

The Habshan CO2 recovery project will be built, operated and maintained by Adnoc Gas and is expected to be commissioned in 2026. The proposed facility will feature carbon capture units at the Habshan gas processing plant, pipeline infrastructure and a network of wells for CO2 injection into oil and gas fields in Abu Dhabi.

Captured CO2 will be permanently stored in reservoirs deep in the sub-surface by deploying closed-loop CO2 capture and reinjection technology at the well site at Adnoc Onshore’s Bab Far North Field, located about 240 kilometres southwest of Abu Dhabi city.

Street lighting PPP

Abu Dhabi awarded two public-private partnership (PPP) contracts in 2020 and 2022 to replace over 176,000 street lights with LED lights. The first phase of the 12-year PPP project is designed to save the municipality AED264m ($71.9m), while the larger second phase is designed to result in cost savings amounting to close to $200m. The project's phase two aims to reduce power consumption by 74 per cent over the 12-year concession period, equivalent to almost 2,400 million kilowatt hours of electricity savings.

Green data centre

Work is progressing on the first phase of the 100MW data centre powered by solar energy at Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai. Hub Integrated Solutions (Moro Hub), a Dewa subsidiary, is the project client. The data centre is envisaged to become the largest solar-powered Uptime Tier 3-certified data centre in the Middle East and Africa, offering digital products and services based on fourth industrial revolution technologies, such as cloud services. The project supports the emirate’s goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the UAE 2031 Artificial Intelligence Strategy.

Hydrogen pilot site

Dewa, in partnership with Expo 2020 Dubai and Germany’s Siemens Energy, inaugurated the AED50m ($14m) green hydrogen plant at Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum Solar Park in 2021. The integrated facility was developed with electrolysis, storage and re-electrification capabilities. Daylight solar power from the solar park will enable the pilot project to produce about 20.5 kilograms an hour of hydrogen at 1.25MW of peak power.

Large green hydrogen projects

There is an expectation that the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy will issue the UAE capital's green hydrogen policy before the start of, or during, the Cop28 climate summit. If this happens, planned green hydrogen projects worth at least $12bn could see rapid progress.

These projects include the 150MW green hydrogen-based ammonia production plant in Ruwais being developed by France's Engie and Abu Dhabi's Fertiglobe and Masdar; the $1bn green ammonia facility being planned by a South Korean-led consortium in Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (Kezad); and the Masdar City green hydrogen and sustainable aviation fuel project being developed by Masdar, France's Total Energies, Germany’s Siemens Energy and Japan's Marubeni Corporation.

Other projects that are likely to be highlighted include the planned 400MW battery energy storage system in Abu Dhabi and the seawater reverse osmosis facilities that are under construction or in the bid phase across the UAE. 

Projects to retrofit public buildings to improve their sustainability, and the adoption of district cooling and electric vehicle policies, among others, will also likely share the spotlight as the UAE prepares to host its most important event of 2023.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11228094/main1001.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Saudi Arabia plans Mecca transit-oriented development

    22 October 2025

    Saudi Railway Company (SAR) has signed an agreement with local investment firm Riyad Capital to establish a real estate fund to develop a mixed-use, transit-oriented project in Mecca.

    The project will span more than 90,000 square metres in the Al-Rusifah district, near the Haramain high-speed railway station in Mecca.

    The development is estimated to cost more than SR6bn ($1.6bn).

    Riyad Capital operates through four business lines: asset and wealth management, brokerage, corporate investment banking and securities services.

    In an official statement, the company said its real-estate portfolio spans three continents and is valued at more than $6bn.

    UK-based analytics firm GlobalData expects Saudi Arabia's construction industry to grow by 4% in real terms in 2025, supported by investments in the housing, energy and transport infrastructure sectors.

    The commercial sector is estimated to grow by 3.7% in real terms in 2025 and to register an average annual growth of 3.7% from 2026 to 2029, supported by the government’s Vision 2030 plan. Under that plan, the government aims to attract 150 million tourists annually and add 320,000 hotel rooms by 2030.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14920539/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Contractors prepare Riyadh Expo infrastructure bids

    21 October 2025

     

    Fourteen firms have been invited to bid for the contract to undertake the initial infrastructure works at the Expo 2030 Riyadh site.

    Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 Riyadh Company (ERC), tasked with delivering the Expo 2030 Riyadh venue, floated the tender for the project’s initial infrastructure works in September, as MEED reported.

    The firms invited to bid include:

    • Shibh Al-Jazira Contracting (local)
    • Hassan Allam Construction (Egypt)
    • El-Seif Engineering Contracting (local)
    • Al-Ayuni Investment & Contracting (local)
    • Kolin Construction (Turkiye)
    • Al-Yamama Trading & Contracting Company (local)
    • Saudi Pan Kingdom (local)
    • Unimac (local)
    • Mapa Insaat (Turkiye)
    • Yuksel Insaat (Turkiye)
    • IC Ictas / Al-Rashid Trading & Contracting (Turkiye/local)
    • Mota-Engil / Albawani (Portugal/local)
    • Almabani / FCC Construction (local/Spain)

    The overall infrastructure works – covering the construction of main utilities and civil works at Expo 2030 Riyadh – will be split into three packages:

    • Lot 1 covers the main utilities corridor
    • Lot 2 includes the northern cluster of the nature corridor
    • Lot 3 comprises the southern cluster of the nature corridor

    ERC issued the tender for infrastructure package Lot 1 on 21 September and has set deadlines of 26 October and 9 November for submission of technical and commercial bids, respectively.

    ERC is expected to award the contract for the Riyadh Expo infrastructure package in December.

    MEED previously reported that ERC was expected to issue the tender for some of the infrastructure packages in September.

    In July, US-based engineering firm Bechtel Corporation announced it had won the project management consultancy deal for the delivery of the Expo 2030 Riyadh masterplan construction works.

    The masterplan encompasses an area of 6 square kilometres, making it one of the largest sites designated for a World Expo event. Situated to the north of the Saudi capital, the site will be located near the future King Salman International airport, providing direct access to various landmarks within Riyadh.

    Countries participating in Expo 2030 Riyadh will have the option to construct permanent pavilions. This initiative is expected to create opportunities for business and investment growth in the region.

    The expo is forecast to attract more than 40 million visitors.

    The Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth vehicle, launched ERC in June as a wholly owned subsidiary to build and operate facilities for Expo 2030.

    In a statement, the PIF said: “During its construction phases, Expo 2030 Riyadh and its legacy are projected to contribute around $64bn to Saudi GDP and generate approximately 171,000 direct and indirect jobs. Once operational, it is expected to contribute approximately $5.6bn to GDP.”

    READ THE OCTOBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Private sector takes on expanded role; Riyadh shifts towards strategic expenditure; MEED’s 2025 power developer ranking

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the October 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > AGENDA 1: A new dawn for PPPs
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14912102/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Consultants bid for New Smart City Salalah design

    21 October 2025

     

    Twenty local and international engineering firms have purchased the tender documents for providing the detailed design of Oman’s New Smart City Salalah development.

    Oman’s Ministry of Housing & Urban Planning (MHUP) released the tender on 12 October. MHUP has set a deadline of 20 November for firms to submit their bids for the contract.

    The firms that have purchased the tender documents include:

    • Royal Haskoning (Netherlands)
    • Muscat Engineering Consulting (local)
    • Parsons Corporation (US)
    • Design Group Engineering Consultants (local)
    • Khatib & Alami (Lebanon)
    • Tusker Engineering Consultancy (local)
    • F&M Middle East (local)
    • Al-Abraj Consulting Engineers & Architects (local)
    • Dar SSH (Kuwait)
    • WSP (Canada)
    • Renardet SA (Switzerland)
    • Almanarah Engineering Consultancy (local)
    • Isag Consulting Engineers (local)
    • CID Gulf (local)
    • Archplan International (Egypt)
    • National Engineering Office (Pakistan)
    • Salalah Engineering Consultancy (local)
    • Meridian Engineering Consultancy (local)
    • Hayma Engineering Consultancy (local)
    • AAW Partners (local)

    The 7.3-square-kilometre scheme is masterplanned by US-based design studio Sasaki.

    The development will offer over 12,000 residential units, accommodating 60,000 residents across four neighbourhoods. It will also include 3,500,000 square metres (sq m) of open space and parks, 200,000 sq m of retail and hospitality space, 100,000 sq m of cultural space and amenities, two new hospitals and integrated transport links. 

    This project is part of the sultanate’s RO33bn development pipeline under Oman Vision 2040.

    The construction works on the project are set to commence early next year, with 5,827 residential units planned for the first phase.

    Oman released the project masterplan details in March this year.

    The statement added: “The project plans are part of the Greater Salalah Structural Plan that aims to increase the liveable capacity of Salalah, which is expected to reach a population of 674,000 by 2040.”

    New Smart City Salalah is the latest addition to the sultanate’s portfolio of high‑profile upcoming real estate schemes, which include Sultan Haitham City, Al-Khuwair downtown, Al-Thuraya and the Oman mountain destination.

    GlobalData forecasts the Omani construction industry to expand at an annual average growth rate of 4.2% from 2025 to 2028. Growth in the country will be supported by rising government investments in renewable energy and transport infrastructure, in addition to the housing sector, as part of the Oman Vision 2040 plan.

    READ THE OCTOBER 2025 MEED BUSINESS REVIEW – click here to view PDF

    Private sector takes on expanded role; Riyadh shifts towards strategic expenditure; MEED’s 2025 power developer ranking

    Distributed to senior decision-makers in the region and around the world, the October 2025 edition of MEED Business Review includes:

    > AGENDA 1: A new dawn for PPPs
    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14911963/main.jpeg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Wood leadership change holds promise for future

    20 October 2025

    Commentary
    Indrajit Sen
    Oil & gas editor

    UK energy engineering consultancy Wood Group’s announcement of a new CEO taking charge later this year is a positive signal, indicating the company is positioning itself for the future.

    The announcement also suggests that the proposed takeover of Wood by Dubai-based Dar Al-Handasah Consultants Shair & Partners Holdings (Sidara) is nearly a done deal. Wood’s board has already accepted a $292m conditional takeover bid from Sidara, with a shareholder vote scheduled for 12 November expected to be a formality.

    New ownership would naturally initiate a strategic reset and establish new priorities and goals. Iain Torrens, currently Wood’s interim group chief financial officer, will take over as CEO from Ken Gilmartin and lead the company towards these new goals.

    Despite financial difficulties in recent years, Wood has been largely successful in winning key consultancy and engineering contracts on critical oil and gas projects in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region. This year alone, the company has secured project contracts in Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as well as in other international markets.

    Wood’s track record of delivering major Mena energy projects, combined with its strong regional presence, is the key factor that attracted Sidara, and the reason it has been pursuing an acquisition for the past two years.

    In addition to the takeover bid, Sidara has offered to assume $1.6bn of Wood’s debt and inject $450m in cash into the company, demonstrating its confidence in Wood’s capabilities.

    With a new owner committed to addressing the company’s financial challenges and a new CEO preparing to take the helm, Wood appears poised to enter a period of renewed stability and growth.

     Wood takeover could boost Sidara profits

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14906715/main.gif
    Indrajit Sen
  • Neom omitted from Saudi pre-budget statement

    20 October 2025

    Commentary
    Colin Foreman
    Editor

    The pre-budget statement issued by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Finance on 30 September provided valuable insight into how the economy will develop in 2026.

    The headline figures show that expenditure is set at SR1.313tn ($349bn) in 2026, compared to revenues of SR1.147tn, resulting in a deficit of approximately SR166bn, or around 3.3% of GDP.

    For the gigaprojects programme, a key detail was which projects were mentioned in the statement, as this implies that these are considered strategic and will continue to receive backing during a period many expect to be defined by reprioritisation.

    Four of the official gigaprojects – Roshn, Red Sea Global, Diriyah and Qiddiya – are mentioned multiple times throughout the document. Neom, however, is not mentioned. All five were referenced in the 2025 pre-budget statement.

    Neom’s omission from the pre-budget statement comes at a pivotal time for projects in Saudi Arabia. While project priorities have not been officially communicated, it is widely believed within the construction sector that event-driven projects – including Expo 2030 Riyadh and the Fifa World Cup 2034 – will be prioritised.

    Although the Asian Winter Games is scheduled to be held at Neom’s mountain resort, Trojena, in 2029 – and had previously been assumed to be a priority – reports over the summer suggested the event may be postponed to 2033, with South Korea or China potentially stepping in to host the 2029 edition.

    Other priority projects are expected to include transport and social infrastructure, as well as developments in and around Riyadh, including Diriyah, Qiddiya and projects led by Roshn.

    MEED’s October 2025 special report on Saudi Arabia includes:

    > COMMENT: Riyadh strives for sustainable growth
    > GOVERNMENT: Riyadh confronts rising regional chaos
    > ECONOMY: Riyadh looks to adjust investment approach
    > BANKING: New funding sources solve Saudi liquidity challenge
    > OIL & GAS: Aramco turns attention to strategic projects
    > GAS: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait accelerate Dorra gas field development
    > POWER: Saudi Arabia accelerates power transformation
    > WATER: Transmission projects drive Saudi water sector growth
    > CONSTRUCTION: Saudi construction pivots from gigaprojects to events
    > TRANSPORT: Infrastructure takes centre stage in Saudi strategy
    > DATABANK: Saudi Arabia maintains growth momentum

    To see previous issues of MEED Business Review, please click here
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14906273/main.gif
    Colin Foreman