Dubai nears floating solar debut

Both the emirate and neighbouring Abu Dhabi are considering the potential of the novel technology

State-owned Dubai Water and Electricity Authority (Dewa) received bids in mid-April for a contract to install the emirate’s first floating solar photovoltaic (PV) plant—two months after a private developer in neighbouring Abu Dhabi commissioned the first in the UAE as a whole. Offshore solar remains a fledgling industry worldwide but is gathering momentum. And land-poor, sun-rich Mid-East Gulf states have strong incentives for its adoption.   The coincidence of the twin landmarks in the two biggest emirates, though incidental, is typical of their fruitful decade-old rivalry in chasing their own as well as federal clean energy targets—to the extent that both have become international leaders