Located in western Abu Dhabi, Shams 1 was the largest renewable energy project in operation in the Middle East when launched in 2013, and also the first large-scale commercial concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in that region.

Incorporating the latest in parabolic trough technology, Shams 1 features more than 258,000 mirrors mounted on 768 tracking parabolic trough collectors. By concentrating heat from direct sunlight onto oil-filled pipes, Shams 1 produces steam, which drives a turbine and generates electricity.

Covering an area of 2.5 square kilometers, equivalent to 285 football fields, Shams 1 generates enough electricity to power 20,000 homes in the UAE.

Shams 1 Milestones

*The US$600 million project took three years to be developed.

2009--The Project Owner Masdar Power Company, together with partners Total and Abengoa Solar begun planning Shams1, which was registered on September 8th, 2009.
2010--Commencement of construction.
2011--Ground work complete and installation of parallel loops and mirrors commenced.
May 2011--Erection of the 220-ton steam turbine
August 2011--Installation of the heat exchanger
August 2012--Beginning of the testing and commissioning
March 2013--Construction completed and project officially inaugurated.
2014--Operating at full capacity.
January 2016--Masdar purchase Abengoa’s stake in this project
October 2018--Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund (ADRPBF) purchased a 29% stake in Shams 1. Masdar remains the majority shareholder with a 51% stake.

The two pictures below describe the achievements in detail: 

Shams 1 contributes to the diversification of the UAE’s energy mix and reduces the country’s carbon footprint. The plant displaces approximately 175,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, equivalent to planting 1.5 million trees or removing 15,000 cars from the roads of Abu Dhabi.

Click to watch the video on Shams 1 by Masdar

To take a deep visit onsite to the project, you are welcome to join CSP Focus MENA 2019 event on June 24-27 in UAE, during which the delegation got opportunity to view Shams 1 project in Abu Dhabi on the first day, moreover, Majed Al Awadhi, General Manager of the Project Owner Shams Power Company will be speaking at the afterwards Jun.26-27 industry conference & expo in Dubai.

Registration as normal delegate, exhibitor or speaker are going on

Click to get the full brochure of CSP Focus MENA 2019