Masdar, EWEC break ground on 1 GW baseload solar-plus-storage project

<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) and Emirates Water and Electricity Co. (EWEC) have started building a solar-plus-storage project in Abu Dhabi that will deliver 1 GW of continuous baseload energy from a 5.2 GW solar plant paired with a 19 GWh battery system.</span></p><p>Masdar and EWEC have begun construction on what they describe as the world’s first gigawatt-scale renewable energy project to deliver continuous, round-the-clock power.</p>
<p>The development combines a 5.2 GW solar plant with a 19 GWh battery energy storage system. The two companies first announced plans in January to develop the <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/01/14/masdar-ewec-announce-5-gw-19-gwh-solar-plus-storage-project-in-abu-dhabi/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">solar-plus-storage installation</a> in Abu Dhabi, aiming for operational status by 2027.</p>
<p>The project is valued at more than AED 22 billion ($5.99 billion) and is set to create more than 10,000 jobs, according to an online statement by Masdar. Once completed in 2027, it is expected to offset about 5.7 million tons of carbon emissions a year.</p>
<p>Masdar said the facility will act as a blueprint for global renewable deployment by overcoming the intermittency of solar generation and producing baseload energy at competitive cost.</p>
<p>Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, chairman of Masdar, said the project underscores the collaborative strength of Abu Dhabi’s energy sector.</p>
<p>“This world-first project, the largest and most ambitious in Masdar’s history, is a blueprint for the world, demonstrating that renewable energy can be dispatched around the clock,&#8221; added Masdar CEO Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi.</p>
<p>Masdar, which has storage projects in several countries, said it is targeting 100 GW of total clean energy capacity by 2030.</p>
<p>In September, a consortium led by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Co. (Masdar) was awarded the contract to develop a <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/09/24/oman-selects-developers-for-500-mw-solar-plus-storage-project/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">500 MW solar-plus-storage project</a> in Oman, integrating a 100 MWh battery system.</p>
<p>And in July, Masdar and EDF's joint venture, Emerge, signed a 20-year agreement to install a <a href="https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/07/28/masdar-and-edfs-emerge-signs-long-term-solar-deal-with-saudis-misk-city/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">621 kWp rooftop PV system</a> atop a carport structure in Saudi Arabia's Misk City.</p>