Abu Dhabi's EWEC issues RFP for greenfield 400 MW / 800 MWh battery

Abu Dhabi has issued a Request for Proposals for the development of 400 MW of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the desert emirate to bidders who passed its earlier qualification process.

Qualified developers have been asked to submit proposals singly or as a group, for independent development of the greenfield 400 MW BESS that will provide 800 MWh of storage capacity, i.e. two hours of backup.

The RFP was issued by the Emirates Water and Electricity Co (EWEC), an integrated utility that undertakes planning, purchasing and supply of water and electricity across the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

EWEC said a total of 93 companies and consortiums had submitted Expressions of Interest in April 2024, and that 27 of them qualified for the RFP stage, responses to which will be received by the fourth quarter of this calendar year.

Successful developers will need to develop, finance, construct, operate and maintain the BESS system and its associated infrastructure, the company said. They will enter into a long-term agreement with EWEC as the sole procurer, along the lines of Abu Dhabi's Independent Power Producer program.

EWEC is deploying BESS "to 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", the company said in its release, adding "Commissioning the development of both utility-scale renewable and low-carbon reverse osmosis projects is crucial to achieving the energy targets set by the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy for 2035 and contributing to UAE Net Zero by 2050 goals."

BESS technology will help support EWEC's plans to increase solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity to 7.5 GW by 2030. An accelerated growth in renewables capacity will also help significantly reduce the carbon intensity of EWEC's power supply, from 330 kg per MWh in 2019 to an estimated 190 kg per MWh by 2030.

Othman Al Ali, Chief Executive Officer of EWEC, said: "Utility-scale BESS technology will facilitate our rapid integration of increased amounts of renewable energy from solar PV to the system and enables us to operate and manage peak demand more efficiently."

"As we commission the development of the UAE's next-generation energy infrastructure, the 400 MW BESS project marks a key milestone in EWEC's strategic efforts to enhance the resilience and efficiency of the power network," he added.