Emirates Waste to Energy Company to develop the UAE’s first solar landfill project

Emirates Waste to Energy Company, a joint venture between Bee’ah, the Middle East’s fastest-growing environmental management company, and Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, will undertake a pioneering project to develop Bee’ah’s landfill into a solar farm — the first of its kind in the UAE.

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 takes place virtually this week. 

Emirates Waste to Energy Company will deliver the solar photovoltaic (PV) project that will comprise up to 120 megawatts (MW) and will be constructed on top of Bee’ah’s Al Sa’jah landfill in close proximity to the Sharjah Waste to Energy facility and Bee’ah’s Waste Management Complex. The solar landfill project will be delivered across three phases, with the first phase due for completion in 2023. 

“Masdar is proud to be extending our existing partnership with Bee’ah through the Emirates Waste to Energy Company to develop this landmark project in Sharjah. Waste is a growing issue in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. However, this project highlights how we can utilize closed landfills to deliver clean energy, while simultaneously supporting the UAE’s clean energy targets and UN Sustainable Development Goals. We are confident that this project can become a benchmark for other landfill sites in the region,” said Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar.   

“As a pioneer of zero waste solutions, Bee’ah is looking to create new value from capped landfills while supporting the deployment of renewable energy in the UAE and I am confident that we can replicate this same model of success for other cities in the Middle East. Through Emirates Waste to Energy Company, we are proud to be partnering with Masdar to support the UAE’s pioneering sustainability vision,” said Khaled Al Huraimel, Group Chief Executive Officer of Bee’ah, Chairman of the Emirates Waste to Energy Company. 

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. The power plant will divert approximately 300,000 tons of solid nonrecyclable waste from landfill each year, helping Sharjah achieve its zero waste-to-landfill target and the UAE’s goal of diverting 75 percent of its municipal solid waste from landfill by 2021.