DEWA rolls out 1-GW CSP plan, expects record low bids again

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced plans to build a 1-GW concentrated solar power (CSP) complex by 2030 and expects to achieve a record low price.

The announcement was made at a press conference today by DEWA's head, Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.

The CSP complex will be part of Dubai's Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park, which is slated to have a capacity of 5 GW by 2030 and which has so far relied on photovoltaic (PV) technology.

DEWA has launched a tender seeking advisory services from international CSP consultants for the 200-MW phase I as part of the CSP complex. It is scheduled to be operational by April 2021.

"An important advantage of CSP is that thermal heat, which is used to produce electricity, can be stored easily, which makes it possible to produce electricity after sunset," Al Tayer said in a statement. He explained that the plant will have several thousand heliostats located around a tower and that the project will use thermal storage for 8-12 hours daily.

Al Tayer was cited as saying by The National he expects CSP bids of about USD 0.08 (EUR 0.07) per kWh.

Prices have been falling fast at Dubai's tenders for the 5-GW solar complex. The most recent bidding has attracted a price of USD 29.9 per MWh of PV power, marking a new record globally.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.893)

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