Ras al-Khaimah-based utilities provider Utico is set to tender contracts worth a total of $450m in 2014 for two power and water projects.

As part of an initiative to begin investing in sustainable energy projects, Utico, in partnership with the emirate’s government, is preparing to float tenders for a solar power project and a water scheme.

The proposed solar power plant would have a generation capacity of 20MW, and the water facility would supply about 22 million gallons a day (g/d). The projects will be located in strategic areas in Ras al-Khaimah.

As part of its energy diversification efforts, Utico is also pushing ahead with plans to build a clean-coal power plant in partnership with China’s Shanghai Electric. The AED1.5bn ($408m) clean-coal facility will have a generation capacity of 270MW and will utilise carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, which is designed to capture 80 per cent of carbon emissions. Utico is planning to begin work on the plant in early 2014.

Ras al-Khaimah is not the only emirate in the UAE to turn to clean coal in order to produce power. Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (Dewa) is also planning a large-scale clean-coal plant. Dewa received bids for the advisory services contract on the planned 1,200MW coal-fired independent power project (IPP) in late October.