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Tesla Batteries Store Sun’s Power At World’s Biggest Solar Farm In Dubai
The Solar Park currently generates around 1 MW of electricity, but DEWA aims to expand it to 5 GW by the end of this decade.
While there’s no shortage of hot sunny days in the MENA region and the United Arab Emirates in particular, it’s not enough to harness the sun’s energy using solar panels. The generated energy has to be stored somewhere so that it can be utilized when needed, instead of only when the sun is shining. That’s why the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and Tesla have joined forces to install a Tesla battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, one of the world’s largest renewable projects in the world.
“The energy storage project using Tesla’s lithium-ion battery solution at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, the largest single-site solar park in the world, aims to diversify the energy mix and enhance energy storage technologies,” said DEWA managing director and CEO Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer.
Another goal of the pilot project is to evaluate the technical and economic capabilities of the technology and to test its role in the integration between clean energy and energy storage to achieve maximum efficiency and reliability.
Currently, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park can generate around 1 MW of electricity, but DEWA aims to expand it to 5 GW by the end of this decade. To put the number into perspective, a typical nuclear reactor produces approximately 1 GW of electricity.
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DEWA is also working on other renewable projects, testing a sodium sulphur (NaS) energy solution and developing a 250 MW pumped-storage hydroelectric power station.
Together, these renewable projects aim to realize the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050, whose goal is to produce more than 75 percent of Dubai’s energy requirements from clean, renewable sources to significantly reduce the city’s carbon footprint in the world.
News
Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent
According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.
Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.
As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.
Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.
Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…
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The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.
A Collaborative Software Effort
Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.
Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.
Feature Set And Compatibility
The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.