The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the world’s first large-scale round-the-clock gigascale energy storage project in Abu Dhabi, combining solar power and battery storage in a significant development for the country’s energy sector.

The initiative positions the UAE as a leader in renewable energy deployment, enabling renewable energy to be dispatched 24/7, seven days a week.

The project will feature the largest combined solar and battery energy storage system (BESS) in the world, with a 5.2GW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS.

It will deliver 1GW of baseload power daily from renewable energy sources.

The project reflects the scale and ambition of the UAE’s energy transformation, aiming to deliver clean energy to support advancements in emerging technologies.

Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and chairman of Masdar Sultan Al Jaber stated: “For decades, the biggest barrier facing renewable energy has been intermittency — to be able to source uninterrupted clean power day and night.