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Chinese contractor wins Abu Dhabi solar PV projects

14 January 2025

Emerge, a joint venture of Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and France’s EDF Group, has awarded China State Construction Engineering Company – Middle East (CSCEC) a contract to build six solar power plants in Abu Dhabi.

MEED understands that the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract includes the design, procurement, installation, commissioning, trial operation and 24-month warranty period operation and maintenance of six independent solar photovoltaic (PV) power stations.

The statement carried by a local media report did not specify the locations and capacities of the six solar PV projects.

Speaking to MEED, a source familiar with the project indirectly confirmed the award, which is the first clean energy project to be undertaken and managed by CSCEC Middle East.

CSCEC said it took more than a year of “close tracking and in-depth communication” to win the client’s trust to execute the project, setting a “solid foundation for undertaking energy EPC projects in the Gulf region in the future”.

MEED has asked Masdar to comment on the award.

Emerge focuses on developing captive or private-to-private renewable energy projects across the GCC region.

Depending on the jurisdictions or domestic regulations involved, these projects’ capacities typically range from a few megawatts to sometimes over 20MW.  

In October 2023, Emerge signed an agreement with Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC) for a 60MW solar power project.

Based on the agreements, SNOC and Emerge will develop solar PV farms at SNOC’s Sajaa gas complex. The plant will supply power to SNOC and connect to the emirate’s main power grid. 

The excess solar power produced by the plant will be taken by state utility Sharjah Electricity & Water Authority (Sewa), while Sewa will provide the required power for SNOC operations during the night. 

The same month, Emerge signed an agreement with Abu Dhabi-based developer Miral to develop a 524-kilowatt peak (kWp) solar PV project on Yas Bay Waterfront.

The solar project includes installing 920 solar modules at Yas Bay Waterfront, with Emerge providing a turnkey solution that includes finance, design, procurement, construction, operations and maintenance of the solar modules for 30 years.

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Jennifer Aguinaldo

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