Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy champion Masdar has begun construction on what it calls the world’s largest and most advanced solar-plus-storage project, a groundbreaking development designed to redefine how renewable power is delivered around the clock.
The AED232 billion (US$5.9 billion) initiative will integrate 5.2 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) battery energy storage system (BESS), creating a hybrid complex that can provide 1GW of baseload renewable energy continuously. The project, developed in collaboration with the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), is scheduled to come online by 2027.
Masdar said the facility represents a major leap forward in overcoming one of renewable energy’s biggest challenges — intermittency. Once operational, it will deliver steady, 24-hour clean power at what the company described as a “globally competitive tariff,” setting a new benchmark for renewable infrastructure.
A Global Benchmark for Energy Innovation
“This gigascale project is a step towards redefining the role of renewable energy for the information age,” said Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Masdar’s chairman, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, and Group CEO of ADNOC. “It demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to deploying innovation at scale to accelerate the global energy transition.”
Masdar noted that the project would integrate cutting-edge technologies, including virtual power plant (VPP) systems, AI-powered forecasting and dispatch, and grid-forming and black start capabilities—technologies that enable the plant to restart the grid independently in the event of an outage. These features will make it one of the most advanced renewable energy complexes in the world.
Powering the AI Era
The project’s advanced capabilities are expected to play a key role in powering the UAE’s expanding artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, including energy-intensive data centers and digital industries.
“Abu Dhabi and the UAE are global hubs for AI research, innovation, and adoption,” said Ahmed Ali Al Shamsi, CEO of EWEC. “This project will ensure that the energy needs of this key sector are met sustainably, powering the next generation of economic growth.”
While Al Shamsi did not specify which companies or facilities would receive power directly from the project, officials emphasized that it will serve as critical infrastructure for sectors driving the country’s digital and industrial transformation.
International Collaboration and Supply Chain Strength
Masdar has assembled a consortium of global industry leaders to deliver the massive undertaking. Earlier this year, the company announced that JA Solar and Jinko Solar—two of China’s largest solar manufacturers—would supply PV modules for the 5.2GW solar farm.
Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) work will be led by POWERCHINA and India’s Larsen & Toubro, both major international players in utility-scale renewable energy projects.
On the storage side, China’s Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited (CATL) will supply its newest large-scale energy storage product, the Tener system, for the site’s full 19GWh capacity. Each Tener unit provides 6.25 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage—making the installation not only record-breaking in scale but also a showcase of next-generation battery technology.
A Strategic Leap Toward Net Zero
The project is part of Masdar’s broader mission to expand the UAE’s renewable energy capacity in line with the country’s Net Zero by 2050 target. It will play a vital role in meeting growing electricity demand, particularly from new industries emerging under Abu Dhabi’s clean technology and digital transformation agenda.
Masdar’s latest initiative builds on a series of landmark renewable projects across the UAE, including the Noor Abu Dhabi solar plant (1.2GW) and the Al Dhafra Solar PV project (2GW), both among the largest single-site solar facilities in the world. The new 5.2GW solar-plus-storage complex will more than double the nation’s renewable generation capacity.
Experts say the combination of large-scale solar with long-duration storage marks a crucial turning point in the evolution of clean energy. By integrating batteries capable of storing and dispatching power on demand, the system will mimic the reliability of fossil-fuel baseload plants—without the emissions.
Reinforcing the UAE’s Global Energy Leadership
For the UAE, the project underscores its growing influence as a global leader in renewable innovation and clean technology investment. It comes on the heels of the country’s successful hosting of COP28 and its continued investment in green infrastructure both domestically and abroad.
By leveraging partnerships across Asia and the Middle East, Masdar is positioning Abu Dhabi as a hub for sustainable energy solutions tailored to the AI-driven global economy. The project’s design, which blends massive renewable capacity with intelligent storage and predictive control, could become a blueprint for similar developments worldwide.
As construction gets underway, industry analysts are already calling the initiative a defining example of how energy, technology, and data are converging. Once completed, the project will not only supply stable, carbon-free power to the UAE’s industries and citizens but also symbolize the nation’s role in shaping the next era of sustainable progress.
