Chinese PV producer JA has begun shipping the first part of a multi-gigawatt module order bound for a 5.2GW “round-the-clock” (RTC) solar-plus-storage project in Abu Dhabi.
UAE-based Masdar, which is co-developing the project with Emirates Water and Electric Company (EWEC), selected JA Solar last year to supply 3GW of modules for the project, billed as the world’s “first giga-scale 24/7 renewable energy project”. Last month, JA Solar rebranded to ‘JA’, and kept the ‘JA Solar’ name for its solar PV subsidiary.
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JA has announced the first batch of shipments of its ‘DeepBlue’ modules for the project, which broke ground last October and reached final close last week.
Located in Abu Dhabi’s Al Dhafra area, the RTC project will integrate a 5.2GW PV array and 19GWh battery energy storage system (BESS), providing an expected 1GW of baseload power around the clock.
The project has been designed with the growing power demands of AI data centres in mind, and JA highlighted the credentials of its modules for powering AI infrastructure, including continuous high-load operation, resilience in extreme climates and lower maintenance needs.
It is due to be fully operational in 2027.
Trina eyes 1.5GW Yemen project collaboration
In separate news, JA’s fellow Chinese module producer Trina Solar, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore a potential solar project pipeline in Yemen.
The MoU, signed with Al-Raebi Trading for Solar Energy Systems, a Yemen-based company specialising in solar design, supply and installation, will explore a collaboration between the two firms on a 1.5GW pipeline of projects between 2026 and 2029.
Under the MoU, the two companies said they would evaluate opportunities to support large-scale solar projects in Yemen and the wider Middle East, including potential supply of Trina’s latest TOPCon modules. The agreement establishes a framework for further discussions between the two companies on project opportunities, technical requirements and future cooperation models.
In a statement on the agreement, the companies said the pipeline could support the roll-out of large-scale solar deployment in Yemen, which is expected to play an increasingly important role as the country continues to face growing electricity demand.
