UAE to get first-ever solar landfill

Photo (for illustrative purposes): Alamy

Sharjah - The project, comprising up to 120 megawatts (MW), will be developed in Sharjah.

Published: Thu 21 Jan 2021, 6:10 PM

Updated: Thu 21 Jan 2021, 6:11 PM

By
Ismail Sebugwaawo

The first solar landfill project, comprising up to 120 megawatts (MW), will be developed in Sharjah, officials have announced.

Emirates Waste to Energy Company — a joint venture between environmental management company Bee’ah and renewable energy company Masdar — will undertake a pioneering project to develop Bee’ah’s landfill into a solar farm. The project will be the first of its kind in the UAE.

The agreement was announced jointly by Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah and Chairman of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, during the ongoing Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week this week.

Emirates Waste to Energy Company will deliver the solar photovoltaic (PV) project that will comprise up to 120 megawatts (MW) and will be constructed on top of Bee’ah’s Al Sa’jah landfill in close proximity to the Sharjah Waste to Energy facility and Bee’ah’s Waste Management Complex.

The solar landfill project will be delivered across three phases, with the first phase due for completion in 2023.

“Masdar is proud to be extending our existing partnership with Bee’ah through the Emirates Waste to Energy Company to develop this landmark project in Sharjah. Waste is a growing issue in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. However, this project highlights how we can utilise closed landfills to deliver clean energy, while simultaneously supporting the UAE’s clean energy targets and UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are confident that this project can become a benchmark for other landfill sites in the region,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.

“As a pioneer of zero waste solutions, Bee’ah is looking to create new value from capped landfills while supporting the deployment of renewable energy in the UAE and I am confident that we can replicate this same model of success for other cities in the Middle East. Through Emirates Waste to Energy Company, we are proud to be partnering with Masdar to support the UAE’s pioneering sustainability vision,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah, Chairman of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company.

Finding productive uses for closed landfills is a global industry issue due to stringent environmental monitoring and remediation requirements that can take up to 30 years. Redeveloping the landfill into a solar farm will add to Sharjah’s renewable energy generation, and it is also economically and environmentally beneficial.

Emirates Waste to Energy Company will be responsible for the financing, design, procurement and construction. Under the terms of the lease agreement, operation and maintenance services will also be provided by the company for a 25-year period.

ismail@khaleejtimes.com