AL AIN, 1st June, 2017 (WAM) -- H.H. Sheikh Tahnoun bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Ruler`s Representative in the Eastern Region, on Thursday praised President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for supporting efforts in promoting sustainable renewable and clean energy resources across Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE.

He cited Noor Abu Dhabi, the world's largest independent solar power plant to be built by Abu Dhabi in Suwaihan at a total cost of AED3.2 billion as part of the emirate's bid to diversify its economy and provide alternative sources of energy.

Equivalent to planting 17 million trees, the huge plant will significantly reduce the carbon-footprint across the UAE and provide a highly competitive grid electricity price of 8.8 fils per kilowatt-hour.

Sheikh Tahnoun was speaking during as he received a delegation from Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority, ADWEA, on the occasion of the Holy Month of Ramadan.

The delegation briefed Sheikh Tahnoun on the project.

ADWEA and a consortium of Japan's Marubeni Corp and China's JinkoSolar Holding recently signed a contract to build and operate the new plant, which will generate 1,177 megawatts from the second quarter of 2019.

Noor Abu Dhabi, which means "the light of Abu Dhabi" in Arabic, will have double the capacity of the 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight Solar Farm, the current world's largest solar power plant in California, United States.

The plant is 60 percent owned by ADWEA and the government of Abu Dhabi, and 40 percent by the international consortium.