Driving south from Dubai toward the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, a dazzling light sphere resembling an artificial sun comes into view from over 20 km away in the desert.
This extraordinary sight is the 262-meter-high solar power tower, the fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park built by Shanghai Electric as part of a concentrated solar power and photovoltaic (PV) project.
With a total installed capacity of 950 megawatts and spanning 44 square kilometers, the project powers 320,000 households in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) annually, the equivalent of 1.6 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The concentrated solar power and photovoltaic project at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai, UAE [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The UAE has long committed to optimizing its energy structure, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. This ambition aligns closely with China’s goals of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, creating vast potential for collaboration.
In recent years, Chinese companies have played a pivotal role in the UAE’s clean energy development. From large-scale solar projects rising in the desert to the first wind energy demonstration projects, Chinese technology and expertise have been integral to the UAE’s energy transition.
The Al Dhafra PV2 solar power plant in Abu Dhabi, UAE [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
One of the landmark projects is the Al Dhafra PV2 solar power plant in Abu Dhabi, built by China Machinery Engineering Corporation, a subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corporation. Covering 21 square kilometers with an installed capacity of 2.1 gigawatts, this facility powers approximately 200,000 households annually, the equivalent of 2.4 million tons in carbon emissions. Five thousand people were employed locally during construction.
Beyond solar, Chinese enterprises are also venturing into wind energy in the UAE. In May 2023, the Power Construction Corporation of China completed the UAE’s wind power demonstration project. The project generates enough electricity annually to meet the needs of more than 23,000 households while reducing carbon emissions by 120,000 tons.
“As the UAE’s first wind power demonstration project, it is a key part in achieving the UAE’s carbon neutrality target by 2050”, said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, chief executive officer of Masdar, the UAE’s leading clean energy company.
These projects help deepen cooperation between China and the UAE in energy transition and sustainable development. Chinese enterprises will continue to drive clean energy development through multilateral collaboration, offering more possibilities for sustainable development.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
