UAE Projected to Lead in per Capita Solar Electricity by 2031, IEA Says
The United Arab Emirates is projected to generate more solar electricity per person than any other country by 2031, reaching over 4,000 kilowatt-hours annually per resident according to the International Energy Agency’s Renewables 2026 report.
That output is more than five times the projected global average of about 800 kWh, placing the nation ahead of Australia, Oman, Bulgaria, and Qatar in the top five per-capita rankings. The Paris-based agency noted that leading countries will continue to generate multiple times the global average, highlighting persistent disparities in deployment rates and access to solar generation.
The UAE’s projected generation per person nearly triples its 2025 level of approximately 1,379 kWh. Unlike countries relying heavily on distributed rooftop installations, the nation is building its advantage through large-scale infrastructure, competitive financing, and storage.
The expansion builds on projects including the 10 MW Masdar City in 2009, the 100 MW Shams 1 in 2013, the 1.2 GW Noor Abu Dhabi in 2019, and the 2 GW Al Dhafra in 2023. Institutions such as the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, EWEC, Masdar, and TAQA Group drive the development alongside international partners.
Dubai’s Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park represents AED 50 billion in planned investment with 3,860 MW of reported installed capacity, targeting over 8,000 MW by 2030. Phase VI of the solar park achieved a utility-scale generation cost of 1.6215 US cents per kWh, or approximately 5.96 fils per kWh.
To tackle the challenge of solar generation dropping after sunset, financial close was reached in July 2026, with operations targeted for 2027. Continuous output remains a project design objective, not an achieved operating result.
Dubai’s planned Solar Park Phase VII pairs 2 GW of solar generation with 8.4 GWh of battery storage.
Renewables accounted for approximately 11% of UAE electricity generation in 2025, with that share projected to reach roughly 21% by 2030 as electricity demand grows about 3% annually between 2026 and 2030.
Across the wider region, the IEA expects Middle Eastern renewable energy capacity to triple through 2031. Energy and Infrastructure Minister Suhail Al Mazrouei stated at September’s Middle East Energy summit that the UAE boosted its clean energy target covering renewables and nuclear to 35 percent by 2030 to 2031, requiring new projects, stronger competition and broader opportunities for the private sector in power generation, according to The National.