Dubai: 298.7MW distributed photovoltaic power generation capacity and exponential growth

According to the Dubai Water and Power Authority (DEWA), as of the end of March, a total of 6,727 buildings were installed with photovoltaic power generation systems driven by the Shams Dubai Net Metering Program in the emirate. The total power generation capacity of these systems is approximately 298.7 MW. This figure shows that since the last set of statistics was released in September 2019, approximately 190MW of net metered electricity has been added. This exponential growth shows Dubai's strong interest in residential and commercial photovoltaic power generation. In August 2019, DEWA reported that the total installed capacity applied to join the Emirate’s net metering plan has reached 323MW.

Shams Dubai plans to start in 2015 to allow owners of residential and commercial photovoltaic systems to sell surplus electricity to the grid at the same consumer price-and settle at the end of the month.

The UAE’s goal is to achieve three-quarters of its total power generation from renewable energy sources by 2050. The tender for the Dubai Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park with an installed capacity of 5GW has provided support for large-scale solar projects, which is by far the largest solar project in the United Arab Emirates and the Middle East.