Dubai plans to build region's biggest solar energy plant

Dubai is planning to set up the region's largest solar energy manufacturing plant, Ali bin Abdullah Al Owais, executive director for the electricity affairs at the UAE Energy Ministry, has said.

Speaking at the workshop on the "feasibility of renewable energy uses", held here today at City Centre Hotel, Al Owais noted that the UAE was keen about meeting its future electricity demand as it is set to diversify the energy sources", citing the launch of Masdar City, the first carbon-emission free city in the world, in Abu Dhabi.

He added that the feasibility study for exploiting wind energy in Fujairah emirate at capacity of 66megawatt has been completed.

Al Owais revealed at the workshop organised by the Energy ministry that some of public institutions have harnessed the solar energy in limited scopes, among others, the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, some of the electricity and water authorities across the UAE, Municipalities, Dubai Roads and Transport Authority and Emirates Telecommunications Corporation, predicting that the UAE investments in this field will amount to billions of dollars within the next 10 years.

About 80 specialists and experts in the renewable energy field are taking part at the workshop.

The plan to build the biggest solar plant in Dubai came in the wake of the announcement that UAE was intending to adopt green building legislation, the first of its kind in the world. Dubai hopes to become a sustainable building pioneer, and has started incorporating green building practices into new projects since the beginning of 2008. – Emirates News Agency, WAM