Masdar to develop solar power plant for Bee’ah’s HQ

Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, has signed a contract to develop a ground-mounted solar power plant at Bee’ah’s iconic new headquarters in Sharjah.

The agreement was signed by Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, and HE Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO of Bee’ah on the sidelines of WETEX 2019. 

The solar plant will be backed by Tesla Powerpacks that will store excess energy to power the headquarters by night. 

Khaled Al Huraimel, Group CEO at Bee’ah, said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our business and powering our new headquarters with clean energy is an important touchstone for us. Our new headquarters will embody our operational excellence in sustainability and technology as we strive to lead by example. Our deployment of solar energy will also contribute towards the UAE Energy Strategy 2050, which aims to increase the share of clean energy in the UAE’s total energy mix from 25 per cent to 50 per cent by 2050 and reduce the carbon footprint of power generation by 70 per cent. 

Al Huraimel added: “We are proud to work with Masdar, a global leader in pioneering and innovating clean energy solutions, which will design, build and operate our solar power generation plant that will supply the headquarters’ electricity requirements. We are also addressing the solar energy intermittency factor with Tesla Powerpacks that will store the excess solar energy from the panels and feed it back to the building when required. We are expecting this blend of renewable energy and storage will help us reduce our carbon footprint dramatically.” 

Bee’ah’s Zaha Hadid-designed building will also be the first AI-powered building in the UAE. Scheduled for completion in 2020, it aims to achieve LEED Platinum certification. 

Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, CEO of Masdar, said: “Today’s announcement further strengthens our existing relationship with Bee’ah, with whom we are developing the first waste-to-energy plant in the UAE. Having installed some of the first rooftop and ground-mounted solar panels on government properties in Abu Dhabi, and with more than a decade of experience applying green building solutions at our Masdar City home in Abu Dhabi, we are delighted to have been chosen to develop the solar power plant of the new Bee’ah headquarters. It is also a great honour to be associated with a building inspired by one of the world’s most celebrated architects.”