Instead of resting on its laurels as one of the world's largest oil producers, United Arab Emirates ensure future contributions to the global energy sector.
A number of renewable energy projects now are being implemented across the country. In order to meet future demands UAE is going to become a leader in solar and wind power energy production. The UAE target is to produce seven percent of its electricity through alternative energy renewables by 2020.
Masdar City is considered to be the biggest project of the UAE worth $18 billion. Being located near Abu Dhabi Masdar is a self-sustaining solar-powered city with over 30,000 residents.
As ambitious as Masdar City, the new Shams 1 project (worth $600 million) is under development stage now. Concentrated solar power (CSP) plant, located in Abu Dhabi has capacity to produce 100 MW of power and will become the largest solar plant in the world after opening by the next year's end.
Dubai also announced its plans in the development of renewable energy sector introducing a huge $3,3 billion solar power project - Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. The new solar park is being constructed on a 48-square kilometres area at Seih Dahal, and in its first phase it will produce 10 MW of power.
Multibillion investments in solar power in UAE are a part of a worldwide push in building more solar energy plants. Compared to the previous year, when the total capacity of solar power plants reached the power producing capacities of 67 GW, UAE are going to increase capacity to 53 TW by 2021.
