SHARJAH, UAE – July 1, 2025 — The United Arab Emirates has marked a major milestone in its renewable energy transition with the commissioning of a 60 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar power facility in Sharjah. Known as the SANA solar plant, the project will supply clean energy to the Sajaa Gas Complex while feeding surplus electricity into the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority (SEWA) grid.
This marks Sharjah’s first utility-scale solar plant and one of the few in the region to integrate solar generation directly into oil and gas operations.
A Collaboration for Clean Energy
The project was developed by Emerge, a joint venture between UAE-based clean energy giant Masdar and France’s EDF Group, in partnership with SNOC (Sharjah National Oil Corporation) and SEWA. According to Emerge Chairman Abdulaziz Al Obaidli, the plant enhances Sharjah’s energy resilience while cutting emissions.
Spanning 850,000 square meters, the plant is outfitted with over 98,000 solar panels mounted on 13,000 single-axis trackers, allowing them to follow the sun for optimized power output. It is expected to offset 66,000 metric tons of CO₂ annually—roughly equivalent to the electricity usage of 13,780 households.
Integrating Renewables Into Oil and Gas
The SANA plant is among the world’s first large-scale solar facilities to directly power an oil and gas processing site, signaling a shift in how traditional energy operations are evolving to meet climate targets. The plant will power SNOC’s Sajaa operations during the day and rely on SEWA’s grid during nighttime hours.
“This project is a leap forward in our strategy to diversify energy sources and move toward carbon neutrality,” said Khamis Al Mazrouei, CEO of SNOC. He traced the project’s vision back to 2017, when a group of SNOC engineers proposed a renewable expansion that began with a modest 300 kW solar system at Hamriyah LNG terminal in 2018.
Long-Term Operation and Public-Private Synergy
Emerge will operate and maintain the SANA facility under a 25-year agreement, underlining the role of long-term public-private partnerships in delivering sustainable infrastructure. Masdar emphasized that the project serves as a model for similar initiatives across the region.
“This project shows how strategic collaborations between government and private sector players can accelerate the clean energy transition,” said Al Obaidli.
Innovation and Research in Solar Tech
Sharjah is not only investing in deployment but also advancing research in solar innovation. In May, researchers in the emirate tested a mist-cooled bifacial solar panel, achieving up to 37% more power on sunny days and 46% on cloudy days. Developed by UAE-based universities, the new panel design mitigates overheating—a challenge in the Gulf’s harsh climate—while boosting efficiency.
A Broader Push Toward Sustainability
The launch of the SANA solar plant represents a growing commitment by the UAE to decarbonize its energy mix without compromising industrial performance. It is part of a broader national strategy to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
With Sharjah now joining Abu Dhabi and Dubai in embracing solar at scale, the UAE continues to strengthen its position as a regional leader in clean energy innovation—while reinforcing that oil and gas and renewables can, in fact, coexist in a hybrid energy future.
