Tesla’s storage facility comes online at Mohammed bin Rashid solar park in Dubai

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has energized a 1.21 MW/8.61 MWh storage facility at its massive Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest solar project in the United Arab Emirates – and the Middle East – to date.

Provided by U.S. manufacturer Tesla, the lithium-ion battery solution is the second battery energy storage pilot project implemented by DEWA at the 5 GW solar park. “The pilot project will evaluate the technical and economic capabilities of this technology within the operational framework of electricity systems in solar photovoltaic power plants,” said DEWA chief executive Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer. “It also tests the role of this technology in the integration between clean energy and energy storage to achieve maximum efficiency and reliability.”

A first, 1.2 MW/7.2 MWh facility was built by the utility in 2018. This facility, based on NAS (network-attached storage) battery systems, was provided by Japanese ceramics company and NAS storage provider, NGK Insulators Ltd. These devices were connected to the first section of the big solar park – a 13 MW plant built by U.S. thin film module manufacturer First Solar, in late 2013.

“Both pilot systems allow bi-directional charging,” Waleed Bin Salman, executive vice president of business development and excellence at DEWA, stated.

The entire Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is also set to include CSP units and hydrogen facilities, is scheduled for completion by 2030. About 1,013 MW of generation capacity at the 5 GW solar park is currently operational.