The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is accelerating the expansion of its solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity as part of its long-term energy diversification strategy. Solar PV capacity in the country is forecast to increase from 6.7GW in 2025 to 32.3GW by 2035, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 17% during 2025-35, according to GlobalData.
GlobalData’s report, “United Arab Emirates Power Market Trends and Analysis by Capacity, Generation, Transmission, Distribution, Regulations, Key Players and Forecast to 2035”, reveals that solar PV generation is projected to rise sharply from 15.8TWh in 2025 to 75.4TWh by 2035, significantly increasing solar’s contribution to the national electricity mix.
The UAE’s solar expansion is supported by some of the largest utility-scale projects globally. Al Dhafra Solar PV stands as the world’s largest single site solar PV facility, while Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Park, with a capacity of 1.2GW, significantly contributes to the national clean energy supply and is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by around 1 million metric tons annually. In Dubai, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, spanning approximately 4,000 acres, is designed to generate enough electricity to power nearly 800,000 homes by 2030. These mega-scale developments reinforce the UAE’s position among the lowest-cost solar markets globally in competitive procurement rounds.
Under the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the country plans to invest approximately $54 billion in clean and alternative energy infrastructure to meet rising demand and decarbonization objectives. The 2023 national energy update committed to tripling renewable capacity to around 14GW by 2030, reinforcing near-term deployment pipelines under the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which targets 50% clean energy in the electricity mix and a 70% reduction in the carbon footprint of power generation by mid-century.
Mohammed Ziauddin, Power Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Solar PV has become the fastest growing technology in the UAE’s power sector. Record low tariffs, abundant irradiation, the availability of land for utility scale projects, and strong policy certainty under the Energy Strategy 2050 framework are driving sustained investment. Solar is transitioning from a supplementary resource to a core pillar of long-term generation planning.”
While solar is expected to lead capacity additions, the UAE’s power system continues to be anchored by gas and nuclear generation to ensure reliability and baseload stability. Gas-fired capacity is forecast to expand from 44.4GW in 2025 to nearly 46GW by 2035, remaining the dominant generation source and supporting peak demand, desalination requirements, and system balancing. Nuclear capacity, centered on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, is expected to remain stable at approximately 5.3GW, providing around 34TWh of annual generation by 2035 and serving as a low carbon baseload anchor within the national mix.
Ziauddin concludes: “Over the next decade, the country’s focus will be on integrating large volumes of solar capacity while maintaining grid stability through gas flexibility, nuclear baseload supply, and storage additions such as pumped storage and battery systems. Rather than displacing conventional generation abruptly, the UAE is executing a calibrated expansion strategy where solar is expected to drive clean energy growth, supported by firm capacity to ensure security of supply and long-term system resilience.”
