France’s EDF Renewables and Korea Western Power (KOWEPO) have officially launched the 500 MW Manah 1 solar PV project, the largest solar farm in Oman. Meanwhile, the UAE is set to develop what is claimed to be the world’s first gigascale 24/7 solar and battery energy storage system (BESS).
Oman’s Landmark Solar Project
Located 170 km north of Muscat in the Ad Dhakiliyah governorate, Manah 1 will generate enough electricity to power over 60,000 Omani households, reducing 780,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually, according to its developers.
The facility features over one million bifacial PV modules mounted on a single-axis tracker system, allowing panels to capture sunlight on both sides and follow the sun’s path for maximum efficiency. Spanning 7.8 km², the solar farm also employs 1,200 automated dry-cleaning robots to maintain optimal performance without water usage.
EDF and KOWEPO report that Oman’s Main Interconnected System has experienced an average annual electricity demand growth of 2.7%, peaking at 7.5 GW in 2024. The Manah 1 project effectively doubles Oman’s renewable energy capacity to 1.05 GW.
UAE’s Groundbreaking Solar-Battery Project
In the UAE, renewable energy giant Masdar has selected preferred contractors and suppliers for what it calls the world’s first gigascale solar PV and BESS project capable of delivering 24/7 renewable energy.
The 1 GW project, to be built in Abu Dhabi in partnership with Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC), will address the intermittency of renewables with a 5.2 GW (DC) solar PV plant coupled with a 19 GWh battery storage system.
Key project partners include:
- Larsen & Toubro (India) & PowerChina – Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors.
- Jinko Solar & JA Solar (China) – Suppliers of 2.6 GW capacity solar PV modules, using TOPCon technology for enhanced efficiency in low-light conditions.
- CATL (China) – Supplier of the TENER-based battery system, designed for extended battery life.
Masdar’s Chief Operating Officer, Abdulaziz Alobaidli, described the project as the company’s “largest and most ambitious to date.”
