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With its sprawling desert terrain, the future of energy in the Middle East will likely be led by solar power, especially in the UAE. The shift is also led by changes in legislation as an increasing number of countries commit to clean energy targets and net zero.

According to a recent report published by the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy, the UAE ranks 6th among the top world leaders in solar energy use, behind Australia, The Netherlands, Japan, Israel, and Chile.

The UAE possesses three of the planet’s largest solar sites. The country has also built several huge solar power plants, such as Shams, Noor Abu Dhabi, and Al Dhafra in Abu Dhabi, as well as the world’s largest single-site solar power plant at Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.

Masdar, the UAE’s leading renewable energy company, has played a crucial role in these projects, working with key government and private sector partners to increase solar capacity further.

Recently, the company was selected by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) to build and operate the 1,800 megawatt (MW) sixth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park with an estimated cost of up to $1.5 billion.

The UAE is on track to achieve net zero as it gears up to host COP28, the world’s leading climate conference, in Dubai from November 30 to December 12, 2023.

Over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors, will gather at COP28 to discuss and advance climate action.