Is solar energy an essential part of the UAE's energy mix?

In addition to these drivers, a good exposure to the sun justifies why solar energy has dominated those activities . The aim of this research is to review and build on the existing knowledge to assess whether solar energy can be an essential part of the UAE’s energy mix.

How much solar energy does the UAE need?

The UAE is expected to generate 25% of its electricity from solar energy and have a total installed solar capacity of 44 GW by 2050. The Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) describes the challenges the country has to address to make this target achievable.

Does the United Arab Emirates have solar power?

While being a major oil producing country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken steps to introduce solar power on a large scale. However, solar power still accounts for a small share of energy production in the country.

What is the solar energy resource in the UAE?

Solar energy resource The UAE lies between 22°30′ and 26°10′ north latitude and between 51 0 and 56 0 25′ east longitude which gives an indication of its good solar energy exposure. However, high concentrations of airborne dust particles and high humidity tend to diffuse and attenuate the intensity of solar irradiance.

Why is solar energy a problem in the UAE?

The growth of solar energy in the UAE is also hampered by a number of factors, including legal and legislative concerns, funding constraints, and grid integration limitations. One such challenge is the lack of regulation for the distributed generation (DG) market in the UAE outside the Dubal emirate.

How many solar panels are installed in the UAE?

None of these is installed in the UAE. The largest capacity among the 36 installations which use PV only as an energy source is 53 m 3 /day, and the specific energy consumption is in the range 0.89–32.4 kWh/m 3, and the lowest water production cost was USD 3.25/m 3.