Speaking at this week’s MENA Renewable Energy Forum, as cited by gulfnews.com, the managing director and CEO of Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA), Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, confirmed plans to invest US$3.27 billion in building one of the largest solar parks in the region — a 1GW PV facility. A specific location has not been disclosed.

The facility, known as Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, is expected to be completed by 2030. The first phase involves the construction of a 13MW PV plant which is scheduled to become operational by the end of 2013.

Al Tayer also highlighted at the forum that distributed rooftop solar power sources may account for 20% of Dubai’s electricity needs by 2030.

Dubai is currently looking to reduce its energy consumption from non-renewable sources and has turned its eye to renewable energy sources including solar power. As cited by gulfnes.com, Al Tayer explained, “By 2030, Dubai’s average energy growth is projected to be in the range of four to five per cent per annum and our target, under the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy 2030, is to reduce energy consumption by 30 per cent through the implementation of enhanced energy-efficient initiatives and, by the same token, to significantly reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide,”

As part of the Dubai Integrated Energy Strategy, which was implemented in January 2011, the country is hoping to diversify its energy mix with around 5% coming from renewable energy including solar power.