UAE's first solar landfill project to be developed in Sharjah

A solar energy project will soon be developed on a landfill in Sharjah, in a first-of-its-kind initiative in the UAE.

The solar photovoltaic (PV) project with a capacity of up to 120 megawatts (MW) will be constructed on top of the waste management firm Bee’ah’s Al Sa’jah landfill.

It will be delivered across three phases, with the first stage due for completion in 2023.

The project will be implemented by Emirates Waste to Energy Company, which is a joint venture between Bee’ah and Masdar.

The agreement was announced jointly by Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah and Chairman of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company, and Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar, during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week which is taking place this week.

Finding productive uses for closed landfills is a global industry issue due to stringent environmental monitoring and remediation requirements that can take up to 30 years.

Redeveloping the landfill into a solar farm will add to Sharjah’s renewable energy generation, and it is also economically and environmentally beneficial.

Emirates Waste to Energy Company will be responsible for the financing, design, procurement and construction. Under the terms of the lease agreement, operation and maintenance services will also be provided by the company for a 25-year period.

Established in 2017, Emirates Waste to Energy Company’s first project is the Sharjah Waste to Energy facility housed in Bee’ah’s Waste Management Complex. The 30 MW Sharjah Waste to Energy project is currently under construction and is due for completion later this year.