Masdar Pushes The Limits of Solar With New Round-The-Clock System - CleanTechnica

Masdar, a renewable energy company based in Abu Dhabi, is pioneering a groundbreaking round-the-clock solar and battery energy system designed to fully replace traditional baseload power plants. Building on their experience with the massive 2.1 GW Al Dhafra solar plant—the world’s largest single-site solar installation—Masdar plans to develop an even larger 5.2 GW solar facility paired with a 19 GWh battery storage system. This integrated setup will enable continuous, stable power output of 1 GW to the grid 24/7, overcoming the typical intermittency challenges of solar energy by flattening production profiles and easing grid management. The innovation lies in the colocation and unified design of solar panels and battery storage, which allows direct current (DC) electricity generated by the solar panels to be stored directly in batteries without conversion losses to alternating current (AC). This approach not only improves efficiency but also reduces hardware costs. The system is expected to function like a virtual power plant, providing grid services