Register for MEED's guest programme 

Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) aims to build enough clean energy-based generation capacity and transmission infrastructure by 2029 to enable the provision of services without burning natural gas, subject to specific parameters.

"We define 'zero-hour' as the first hour when we can deliberately operate the power system without burning gas to provide energy and ancillary services while maintaining system reliability within defined parameters," Bruce Smith, executive director, strategy and planning at Ewec, told the ongoing World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi.

Ewec's zero-hour is likely to occur during daytime in the winter months, when demand is at its lowest – or about half its peak capacity – and the renewable energy plants are at their peak production. It will require sufficient clean energy capacity – mainly from nuclear, solar, wind and battery storage – as well as completely decoupled water and power production.

The 2029 zero-hour target is expected to be reached a year ahead of the utility's target for renewable and clean energy sources to account for producing nearly 50% of its electricity.

To be operable, Ewec's power system will have achieved the required gas system flexibility, gas plant flexibility, suitable human capability and digitally advanced control systems by 2029.

Having flexible gas systems and plants is crucial for the zero-hour plan, as it will enable gas turbines to be turned on to meet up to 80% of the requirements at night, when the solar photovoltaic (PV) plants shift to battery energy storage.

"To get there, we need to build gas storage," Smith explained, noting such infrastructure is key to achieving gas supply flexibility. "Gas storage is an essential component of the increasing requirement for gas flexibility."

Electricity production mix

Ewec's exisitng generation fleet includes three nuclear reactors with a total combined capacity of 4,200MW, three solar PV plants with a capacity of 2,529MW, a 100MW concentrated solar power plant and nine thermal power plants with a combined capacity of more than 15,100MW.

Sources: Ewec, MEED

The state utility recently awarded the contract to develop its third solar PV independent power project (IPP) in Ajban, which has a capacity of 1,500MW. On 16 April, it also issued the request for proposals for a contract to develop the similarly-sized Khazna solar IPP project.

Ewec has invited companies to express an interest in developing its first two 200MW battery energy storage system facilities and will soon start the procurement process for the Taweelah C thermal power plant, which is expected to have a capacity of more than 2,457MW.