UAE Breaks Ground on World's First Gigascale Round-the-Clock Renewable Energy Project, Setting a New Global Standard For Clean Energy
- In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, world-first project reaffirms UAE's leadership position in clean energy, directly addressing intermittency of renewables
- Project will reimagine potential of renewable energy, delivering 1GW of baseload power at a globally competitive tariff, establishing a blueprint for future international deployments
- Masdar and EWEC are deploying the largest and most technologically advanced system of its kind in the world
- Project will help power UAE's AI revolution while creating over 10,000 jobs and avoiding approximately 5.7 million tonnes of CO2 per annum
ABU DHABI, UAE, Oct. 24, 2025 /CNW/ -- His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Development and Fallen Heroes' Affairs, has witnessed the groundbreaking of the world's largest combined solar power and battery storage project, capable of delivering 1 gigawatt (GW) of baseload renewable energy around the clock.
Reimagining the potential of renewable energy
In line with the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, this world-first project, developed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar and Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), reimagines the potential of renewable energy by overcoming the barrier of intermittency. By producing gigascale baseload energy at a globally competitive tariff for the first time, the project sets a new international benchmark and reaffirms the UAE's leadership position in renewable energy development.
The largest and most technologically advanced system of its kind in the world
The project will integrate a 5.2GW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with a 19 gigawatt-hours (GWh) battery energy storage system (BESS), the largest and most technologically advanced system of its kind in the world. The design features cutting-edge technologies, including AI-enhanced forecasting and intelligent dispatch, and AI-ready infrastructure for predictive analytics and system optimization.
A blueprint for the world
Once operational, the project will act as a blueprint that can be replicated internationally to meet the growing demand for clean, secure, round-the-clock power.
His Excellency Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar, said: "Masdar and EWEC are breaking ground on the future, here in Abu Dhabi. With the unwavering support of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, and His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, and in the presence of His Highness Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, this gigascale project is a step towards redefining the role of renewable energy for the information age. This breakthrough is the culmination of Masdar's two decades of excellence in renewables and is testament to the power of collaboration in Abu Dhabi's energy ecosystem. As the world looks for secure, sustainable and affordable energy, the UAE is proud to offer a new vision for technologically enabled growth."
Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer at Masdar, said: "This groundbreaking is a proud occasion for Masdar and the UAE, and represents a pivotal moment in clean energy transformation. This world-first project, the largest and most ambitious in Masdar's history, is a blueprint for the world, demonstrating that renewable energy can be dispatched around the clock. By overcoming the challenge of intermittency, we can provide sustainable power to meet fast-growing demand from advancements in artificial intelligence and other technologies. We look forward to working closely with EWEC and our partners to deliver this landmark project, which will set the global standard for renewable energy development and support other nations in delivering on their clean energy objectives."
Powering the AI era
Once complete, the project will deliver 1GW of continuous, clean baseload power 24/7 at a globally competitive tariff, avoiding approximately 5.7 million tonnes of carbon emissions annually and supporting the UAE's ongoing efforts to diversify its energy mix. The facility is scheduled to be operational by 2027.
Ahmed Ali Alshamsi, Chief Executive Officer at Emirates Water and Electricity Company, said: "This landmark project is a testament to the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the unwavering commitment of EWEC and our partners in commissioning and developing transformative innovations that support national objectives. Abu Dhabi and the UAE are a global hub for artificial intelligence research, innovation, and adoption, and this project will ensure that the energy needs of this key sector are met sustainably, powering the next generation of economic growth. We are proud to have strategically collaborated with Masdar on this iconic project, and to break ground on a new era of energy in the UAE."
The project represents capital investment in excess of US$6 billion. Its development will create over 10,000 jobs and new manufacturing and service facilities, reflecting the UAE's vision and commitment to drive socioeconomic growth. The project will provide affordable, reliable, clean power to meet increasing energy demand from artificial intelligence (AI) and the digital economy. The UAE is positioning AI as a cornerstone of its economic diversification and is targeting being a global leader in the sector under its 2031 national strategy, the first of its kind in the world, by investing in the people and industries that are key to the UAE's success.
Masdar has established a strong presence in battery storage with investments in the United States, the United Kingdom and elsewhere, including the world's first storage system connected to a floating offshore wind farm, and has projects in operation and development in a number of countries. Masdar is targeting an overall project portfolio capacity across clean energy technologies of 100GW by 2030.
For more information on Masdar, please visit: https://www.masdar.ae and connect: facebook.com/masdar.ae and https://x.com/Masdar
For more information on EWEC, please visit www.ewec.ae
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SOURCE Masdar
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