Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) marked the International Day of Light 2026 by highlighting the role of solar energy in supporting the UAE’s transition towards a sustainable and net-zero future.
The UNESCO-led International Day of Light celebrates the importance of light in science, innovation and sustainable development. “This year’s theme, 'Light for a sustainable future,' aligns with EWEC’s strategy to reshape Abu Dhabi’s energy mix through solar power and accelerate progress towards a more resilient and decarbonised power system,” EWEC said in a statement.
EWEC said Abu Dhabi’s solar capacity is expected to increase by almost 2,000% between 2020 and 2030, reaching a forecasted installed capacity of 17.5 gigawatts (GW). By 2035, installed solar capacity is projected to exceed 30GW, with solar expected to provide around 40% of Abu Dhabi’s total power generation.
The company said it has commissioned the development of five of the world’s largest single-site solar power plants, including Noor Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, Al Ajban, Khazna, and Zarraf Solar Photovoltaic (PV). EWEC also highlighted the ‘round-the-clock’ mega-project being developed in partnership with Masdar, integrating a 5.2GW solar photovoltaic facility with a 19 gigawatt-hour Battery Energy Storage System (BESS).
Adel Alsaeedi, Senior Vice President of Project Development at EWEC, said: “The theme of International Day of Light, ‘Light for a sustainable future’, speaks directly to EWEC’s strategic vision. In the UAE, sunlight is our most powerful natural asset.”
“By transforming this resource into reliable, utility-scale renewable electricity, we are strategically decarbonising the power sector, strengthening energy security, and driving sustainable economic growth,” Alsaeedi added.
“The unprecedented expansion of our solar infrastructure is fundamentally redesigning the energy landscape, proving that sustainability and scale can be achieved simultaneously.”
EWEC said the accelerated integration of solar PV with BESS is expected to significantly reduce carbon emissions in Abu Dhabi’s energy sector. The company expects the average carbon dioxide intensity from electricity generation to decline by 51%, from 335 kilograms per megawatt hour in 2019 to 162kg/MWh by 2030.
The statement added that the average carbon dioxide intensity from water production is forecast to decrease by 94%, from 13.5kg/m3 in 2019 to 0.7kg/m3 by 2030, supported by the deployment of reverse osmosis technology and solar-powered systems. By 2030, reverse osmosis is expected to account for 92% of total water production.
EWEC said its total carbon dioxide emissions are expected to decrease by nearly 46% by 2035 compared to 2019 levels. The company is also advancing grid infrastructure, including the integration of more than 8GW of long-duration BESS by 2035 to support grid stability and secure supply.
According to the statement, EWEC aims to support the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035 and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 Strategic Initiative through the continued development of renewable energy and low-carbon water desalination projects.
