Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has invited bids for the Al Nouf Independent Power Producer (IPP), planned as the UAE’s largest combined cycle gas turbine plant designed to accommodate carbon capture in the future.
The project, to be built at the Al Nouf Complex in Abu Dhabi, will deliver up to 3.3 GW of power with high efficiency and reduced emissions.
It will also feature seawater cooling and reverse osmosis desalination, forming part of broader infrastructure to support the UAE’s long-term energy needs.
Future-Ready Investment
Developed under EWEC’s IPP model, the project will see the successful developer hold up to 40% equity, with the remainder indirectly owned by the Abu Dhabi Government. EWEC will purchase all output under a long-term power agreement. Commercial operations are targeted for Q3 2029, with proposals due in late 2025.
CEO Ahmed Ali Alshamsi said the plant reflects EWEC’s strategy to build a flexible, efficient, and decarbonized power system.
“As we accelerate the integration of renewable and clean energy into the grid, advanced natural gas-fired capacity will play an essential role in ensuring system reliability and balancing intermittency,” he added.
Relevant: UAE-Led Research Highlights Next-Gen Carbon Capture Breakthroughs
Although the Al Nouf plant will launch without carbon capture, its design allows for future retrofits. Combined cycle plants with capture systems can remove over 90% of CO2 emissions, though this remains unproven at commercial scale.
Fossil fuels supplied 72% of the UAE’s electricity in 2023, while low-carbon sources made up 28%. Under its Net Zero by 2050 plan, the country aims to cut emissions 47% by 2035 and reshape its energy mix by 2031, with nearly half from renewables and nuclear.
Industry momentum is growing across the region, as we see increasing investment in carbon capture, hydrogen, and ammonia, with the UAE among four countries leading an estimated $3.1 billion market.
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