Abu Dhabi plans to generate 1,500MW solar power by 2020 

(MENAFN - Khaleej Times) Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), which last year announced plans to make forays into solar power generation by setting up a 100-megawatt power plant, in the emirate, has now even bigger plans to generate 1500 MW electric power by 2020, an official said.

Abu Dhabi, which currently generates 7000MW and 40,000Gwh per year at its seven gas fired and thermal power plants, has potential to generate solar energy to meet its entire needs by investing $40 billion.

In the first phase, Masdar wants to generate 300MW of electricity in next five years. Last year it announced plans for a 100MW Shams Power Plant project.

It will announce plans to establish two more projects of 100MW each, in the second half of the year and next year. But for 2020, the second phase, Abu Dhabi is planning to raise its solar power generation capacity to a whopping 1500MW, by setting up six units of 200MW each, to achieving a better efficiency besides achieving the economies of scale, said Dr Olaf Geobal, senior project manager, while speaking to Khaleej Times.

Masdar, which led the GCC region in the renewable initiatives, is currently into the planning stage for Shams-1 power project in the western region's city of Madina Zayed, 120 Kilometres from the capital.

The project is now in a very advanced stage and will be awarded in March/April this year, as commercial production is scheduled for as early as 2011. Masdar in order to run the project will form a special purpose vehicle (SPV) with the successful EPC contractor's consortium.

The SPV will be an Independent Power Plant (IPP), who will sell the electricity generated to Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Company (ADWEC). "We are in talks with the two short-listed bidders, who are quoting different tariffs, so until that matter is resolved with them, we cannot discuss tariffs, " revealed Dr Olaf Geobal.