Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) is moving ahead with its plans to develop an independent greenfield 400-megawatt (MW) Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) power project in Abu Dhabi that will provide up to 800 megawatt-hours (MWh) of storage capacity by issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to qualified developers and developer consortiums.
Deploying BESS will enhance the flexibility and stability of Abu Dhabi’s energy network, allowing for the effective management of peak demand and integration of increasing amounts of renewable energy.
It marks another milestone in EWEC’s efforts to accelerate the energy transition to renewable and clean sources at scale and speed.
BESS technology will also provide crucial ancillary services such as frequency response and voltage regulation. It will support EWEC’s plans to increase its solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity to 7.5 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 and reduce the carbon dioxide intensity of its power supply from 330 kilograms per megawatt hour (kg/MWh) in 2019 to an estimated 190 kg/MWh by 2030.
The RFP is being issued to bidders who passed the qualification process following the Expression of Interest (EOI) stage that took place in April this year. A total of 93 companies and consortiums submitted EOIs, and 27 of them qualified for the RFP stage after submitting Statements of Qualification.
Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, commented: “As we commission the development of the UAE’s next-generation energy infrastructure, the 400MW BESS project marks a key milestone in EWEC’s strategic efforts to enhance the resilience and efficiency of the power network.
“Utility-scale BESS technology will facilitate our rapid integration of increased amounts of renewable energy from solar PV to the system and enable us to operate and manage peak demand more efficiently.
“Through this strategic project, we are strengthening Abu Dhabi and the UAE’s position as leaders of the global energy transition and accelerating the nation’s net-zero goals. We look forward to working with best-in-class partners to bring this vision to fruition.”
The project will closely follow the model of Abu Dhabi’s successful Independent Power Producer (IPP) programme, where developers enter into a long-term agreement with EWEC as the sole procurer. It will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance, and ownership of the BESS system and associated infrastructure.
The next stage of the process will commence after RFP responses are received by Q4 2024.
