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Oman’s largest solar farm begins generating electricity, while ‘world-first’ 24/7 gigascale solar battery initiative envisaged in neighbouring UAE
29/1/2025
News
France’s EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) have officially launched the 500 MW Manah 1 solar PV project, the largest in the Middle Eastern nation of Oman to date. Meanwhile, the UAE is planning what is claimed will be the world’s first 24/7 combined solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) gigascale project.
In Oman, 170 km north of Muscat city, in the Ad Dhakiliyah governorate, the Manah 1 project will generate enough electricity to power over 60,000 Omani households, avoiding 780,000 t/y of carbon emissions, according to its developers.
The project comprises over one million bifacial PV modules mounted on a single axis tracker system. This ensures sunlight is captured on both sides of the panels and the panels follow the solar path to maximise yield. Covering a total area of 7.8 km2, the solar farm uses 1,200 automated dry-cleaning robots to maximise clean electricity generation and avoid the use of water.
According to EDF and KOWEPO, electricity demand in the Main Interconnected System of Oman has been growing at an average annual rate of 2.7%, peaking at 7.5 GW in 2024. They also report that the Manah 1 independent power project doubles Oman’s renewables generating capacity to 1.05 GW.
UAE world first
Meanwhile, in the neighbouring United Arab Emirates (UAE), renewable contractor Masdar has announced the preferred contractors and suppliers for what it says will be the world’s first 24/7 combined solar PV and battery energy storage system (BESS) gigascale project.
The 1 GW development will be built in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC). Designed to ‘overcome the intermittency challenges of renewables’, the project will feature a 5.2 GW (DC) solar PV plant, coupled with a 19 GWh BESS.
India’s Larsen & Toubro and PowerChina have been selected as the preferred engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors. Chinese companies Jinko Solar and JA Solar are to supply the solar PV modules (2.6 GW capacity each). The solar modules will use TOPCon (tunnel oxide passivated contacts) technology, the benefits of which are said to include higher efficiency in low light conditions, extending the period during which electricity can be generated. China’s CATL is to supply the BESS, which will be based on its TENER technology that is said to feature an extended battery life.
According to Abdulaziz Alobaidli, Chief Operating Officer, Masdar, this is the company’s ‘largest and most ambitious project to date’.
