A consortium comprising EDF Power Solutions and Korea Western Power Company (KOWEPO) has signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the 1.5 gigawatt (GW) Al Zarraf Solar PV Independent Power Producer (IPP) project in Abu Dhabi. The agreement was formalized on the sidelines of the World Utilities Congress 2025, currently taking place in Abu Dhabi. Once developed, the Al Zarraf Solar PV project will become the fifth utility-scale solar initiative by the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), fortifying Abu Dhabi’s commitment to renewable energy expansion.

Project Background

The Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) had launched the tendering process for the Al Zarraf project in January 2025 by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP). A total of 20 companies and consortia initially submitted Expressions of Interest (EOIs), and 16 were subsequently prequalified for the bidding stage after submitting their Statements of Qualification.

Renewable Energy Expansion

The project forms a key part of EWEC’s strategic vision to scale up the emirate’s solar energy generation capacity to at least 10GWac by 2030. The EDF-KOWEPO consortium is also a strong contender in other major solar developments, including the 1.5GW Al Khazna Solar PV IPP project and the 1.5GW Al Ajban Solar PV project.

Energy Mix Diversification

The Al Zarraf project marks another milestone in the UAE’s accelerated efforts to diversify its energy mix and position itself as a leader in renewable energy across the region. EWEC aims that by 2035, Abu Dhabi will have at least 18GW of solar PV in operation, aligning with the Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target for electricity generation. The signing of the JDA for the Al Zarraf Solar Project is a significant step towards achieving this goal, and it reinforces the UAE's commitment to renewable energy expansion.

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