UAE Solar Compliance 2026: DEWA, SEWA and Emirate Requirements

In Dubai, a DEWA-enrolled solar consultant or contractor files one Getting Solar Permits & Connections application. It covers the NOC (No Objection Certificate), the design approval and the invoice. In Sharjah, SEWA’s public pages show no solar connection steps that we could read, so get the route from SEWA in writing. Abu Dhabi’s self-supply policy took effect in February 2026.

DEWA is the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority. SEWA is the Sharjah Electricity, Water and Gas Authority. PV means solar panels.

Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah at a glance

Sources for each row are in the sections below. Etihad Water and Electricity serves the Northern Emirates (Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah). It was set up in 2020 to replace FEWA, according to the UAE government public-utilities page. We did not find or read EtihadWE solar rules, so this guide does not cover them.

For business and industry projects, see C&I solar in the UAE. For the full Dubai and Abu Dhabi rulebook, see UAE solar regulations.

Dubai: apply through DEWA Shams Dubai

Shams Dubai is DEWA’s programme for connecting rooftop solar to the Dubai grid. It runs under Executive Council Resolution No. 46 of 2014, per the DEWA Shams Dubai page.

DEWA’s Getting Solar Permits & Connections service puts the Solar NOC and the solar connection into one application. A successful submission returns the approved Solar NOC, the design approval and an estimated invoice. Only enrolled solar consultants and contractors can submit it, and it is online only.

The steps below come from DEWA’s Getting Solar Permits & Connections service page and its Shams Dubai FAQ:

1. The owner picks a DEWA-enrolled consultant or contractor, who acts as the owner’s agent.
2. The contractor logs in, fills in the application, uploads the documents and submits it. The system issues a reference number in the form S-xxxxxx. The application is free of charge.
3. DEWA accepts, rejects or returns the application. If it is returned or rejected, the contractor sends it again with the missing information.
4. DEWA issues an estimate and invoice for the connection fee. The owner pays through a DEWA payment channel.
5. After installation, the contractor asks for an inspection. DEWA has merged inspections with and without interconnection into one request, so both can be done at the same time. Results arrive the same day or the next day, either approved or with a snag list.
6. For systems above 100 kW, the contractor also sends a performance test report. This comes after the inspection and the connection invoice payment.
7. DEWA confirms a date for meter installation and turns on the connection.

The building or structural work also needs a building permit from the authority in charge, such as Dubai Municipality or Trakhees. It also needs a completion certificate after that authority’s final inspection (Shams Dubai FAQ).

Documents DEWA asks for

These come from the service requirements on the Getting Solar Permits & Connections page:

• Design assessment input form (XLSX).
• Total connected load and maximum demand schedule, including existing meters and the proposed solar generation meter (PDF).
• Single line diagram, a simple drawing of how the system is wired. It shows meters, inverters, interface protection and the low-voltage distribution (PDF).
• Site layout showing panels, related equipment and metering (PDF).
• Production details in kWp (peak panel power) and kWh per year (PDF).
• Installation details of the generation meter, PV panels, inverters and distribution boards (PDF).
• Wiring layout and sizing of PV system parts: strings, inverters, cables, breakers (PDF).
• Module, inverter and interface protection unit details, if the product is not on DEWA’s list.
• Clear acceptance of the Connection Agreement terms (PDF).
• An affection plan, only for projects in Dubai free zone areas.

DEWA’s processing targets

The four targets add up to 17 working days (12 + 1 + 3 + 1). Without performance testing, the total is 14 (12 + 1 + 1). These are DEWA’s processing targets from the service page. They do not include buying equipment, construction, the building permit or time spent fixing a returned application.

How much solar can a Dubai plot connect?

Section 2.2 of the Shams Dubai Connection Conditions, version 4.1 (November 2025) caps the total PV capacity on a plot. The cap is a share of the plot’s total connected load (TCL). TCL is the sum of approved load for the producer’s consumption accounts on that plot.

DEWA also states that no plot can connect more than 1,000 kW. It may set a lower limit for grid reasons.

Here are two worked examples from the table:

• A plot with 150 kW of TCL: 100 kW (100% of the first 100) + 37.5 kW (75% of the next 50) = 137.5 kW.
• A plot with 500 kW of TCL: 100 + 75 + 100 (50% of 200) + 25 (25% of 100) = 300 kW.

The conditions also say generators must be on rooftops, facades or other existing structures within the plot. The conditions do not expect ground-mounted systems.

Which solar companies does DEWA approve?

People search for a “DEWA approved solar EPC”. EPC means engineering, procurement and construction, the company that designs, buys for and builds the system. This points to DEWA’s enrolment scheme.

DEWA’s enrolment page sets two needs for a solar consultant or contractor. First, a Dubai trade licence with a renewable-energy activity code. Second, employees certified by DEWA as Solar PV Experts. Certification means a five-day DEWA training programme and a final test.

Companies outside the list cannot file applications. A system not installed by an enrolled contractor is not eligible for grid connection or net metering (Shams Dubai FAQ).

This is the minimum certified staff per DEWA’s enrolment table. LV means low voltage and MV means medium voltage.

DEWA publishes the list of enrolled solar PV consultants and contractors as a PDF. The page shows it as dated 31/07/2025. DEWA states that it only provides the list. It is not responsible for the work of the listed companies.

DEWA approved equipment

DEWA’s Shams Dubai FAQ says equipment must meet DEWA’s Standards for Distributed Renewable Resources Generators. DEWA asks for the maker’s compliance certificate during connection.

DEWA publishes a list of eligible equipment. The list is non-exhaustive, so it does not name every allowed product. You can use equipment that is not listed if it complies with DEWA’s standards. Proof of compliance must go to DEWA through the PV equipment eligibility process.

DEWA states the list is not an endorsement or warranty. If a product is not on the list, the application must include its module, inverter and interface protection details.

Net metering and billing in Dubai

Net metering means you export extra power and get a credit on your bill. The Connection Conditions (version 4.1, section 2.4) set these terms:

• The generator connects under one consumption account, the hosting account.
• If a billing cycle exports more than it imports, no consumption charge is billed. The surplus carries forward to the next cycle.
• Surplus carries forward indefinitely, with no limit on time or quantity.
• Surplus can offset only the producer’s own accounts on the same plot, in the order the producer set in the application. It cannot be moved to another person or plot, and it cannot be cashed out.
• Surplus is lost when the hosting account is closed. A tenant or new owner does not inherit it.
• Shams Dubai is for self-consumption. You cannot set up deals that let tenants use the producer’s generation.

DEWA installs a bi-directional meter at no extra cost beyond normal service charges. A generation check meter is charged in the one-off connection fees. For individual projects below 10 kW, the check meter is not mandatory. It can be waived with reduced fees, though DEWA may not offer the waiver in areas with many solar installations.

For a financial model, record the tariff, imported kWh, kWh used directly from PV, exported kWh and any credit carried forward. Count each kWh once, either as self-consumed or exported. The credit reduces future consumption. It does not pay out.

What you must do after connection

• Maintenance by a DEWA-enrolled contractor under a valid maintenance contract, with an inspection at least every 12 months.
• Inspection reports and proof of the maintenance contract within five working days of a DEWA request.
• Routine maintenance, including panel cleaning, at least once a year.

DEWA may also set an annual connection cap. If the cap is reached, approvals continue but connections wait in a queue for the next calendar year. The first approved is the first connected (section 4.1).

Industrial and commercial sites in Dubai

For a factory or commercial roof, the steps match the list above. These points change the plan:

• Capacity follows the TCL slab table, so a large roof on a small approved load will be limited.
• Above 100 kW, the performance test report is an extra step before metering.
• Medium-voltage plants need more certified staff on the contractor’s side than LV plants do (table above).
• Projects in Dubai free zone areas need an affection plan with the application.
• The building permit and completion certificate come from the authority in charge, such as Dubai Municipality or Trakhees.

Abu Dhabi: the DEWA equivalent

The utilities ADDC and AADC merged to form Taqa Distribution. It is responsible for the power and water distribution networks in Abu Dhabi, per the UAE government public-utilities page. Two Abu Dhabi documents apply, and they do not say the same thing.

The Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Energy Netting Regulations were issued in January 2017 (first edition) by the Regulation and Supervision Bureau. The Department of Energy (DoE) now hosts them. They say:

• They cover grid-connected systems up to 5 MW in one premises. The distribution company approves each installation one by one.
• Capacity should not exceed the approved load of the premises. The distribution company sets the maximum.
• The steps are application, design approval, municipal permits, a licence or exemption from the Bureau, inspection and connection, then generation.
• A registered Solar PV Integrator designs the system. A Licensed Contractor does the electrical installation.
• Surplus carries forward with no end date against future use under one service point. The producer gets no money for it, and the credit cannot be moved to someone else.

The DoE’s policy on solar PV and battery storage for self-supply has the document number DoE/ED/G04/005. Its effective date is printed as 05/02/2026. It says:

• It covers distributed PV behind the customer meter, with or without batteries.
• Nothing in it permits net metering, cross-plot sales or private wires unless DoE explicitly authorises them.
• It says export electricity is metered separately. Netting or offset does not apply to it.
• DoE will issue guidelines with binding rules on metering, settlement, and the application and approval steps.
• In its annex, DoE answers a stakeholder comment on the net metering regulation. It records the assessment “Policy repeals conflicting regulations; legacy licences remain valid”. On export treatment, it records “exports only if expressly authorised, licensed, and approved by DoE”.

These documents do not let us confirm whether the 2017 credit scheme still accepts new applications. Ask Taqa Distribution or DoE in writing before you quote bill credits for an Abu Dhabi project.

Sharjah: what SEWA publishes

We read two SEWA pages: its electricity page and its eServices service guide. They cover general connection services. The eServices guide says new connection services are online only.

Neither page gives a solar PV connection procedure, capacity limit, equipment list or export terms. The SEWA contact page lists info@sewa.gov.ae and 600566665 for inquiries.

Guides on other sites that describe SEWA solar rules are not SEWA documents. So this guide uses none of their figures. For a Sharjah project, send SEWA these questions and keep the written reply:

• Is a grid-connected PV system allowed for this account, and under which procedure?
• Who may submit and install?
• What capacity, export and protection conditions apply?
• Which equipment evidence is required?
• Are exports credited, and on what terms?
• Which municipal approvals and inspections are needed?

See also the SEWA Solar Guidelines page on this site. Do not adapt a Dubai submission by changing the utility name. The DEWA process, capacity formula and net-metering terms above come from DEWA documents. They do not bind SEWA.

Preparing project files for DEWA

A DEWA submission needs a layout, a single line diagram, a connected-load schedule, string sizing and a kWp and kWh-per-year production figure. Solar design software, shading analysis and proposal workflows can produce the layout, yield and bill-of-materials side of that file. SurgePV’s outputs support electrical design workflows. They do not replace review by the responsible engineer or approval by DEWA or any other authority.

Sources

DEWA pages and documents were read on 28 October 2026.

• DEWA, Getting Solar Permits & Connections service page.
• DEWA, Shams Dubai FAQ.
• DEWA, Connection Conditions for Generators of Electricity from Solar Energy, version 4.1, November 2025 (PDF), linked above.
• DEWA, enrolment page, enrolled-contractor list page and eligible-equipment list page, linked above.
• Abu Dhabi Regulation and Supervision Bureau, Small-Scale Solar Photovoltaic Energy Netting Regulations, first edition, January 2017.
• Abu Dhabi Department of Energy, policy on solar PV and battery storage for self-supply, DoE/ED/G04/005, effective 05/02/2026.
• UAE government portal, public utilities page.
• SEWA, electricity page, eServices service guide and contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Shams Dubai?

Shams Dubai is DEWA’s distributed solar programme under Executive Council Resolution No. 46 of 2014. Owners connect rooftop PV to DEWA’s grid and use the power on site. They export the surplus. It covers Dubai only and applies to DEWA accounts.

How do I get solar approval from DEWA?

An enrolled solar consultant or contractor files one online Getting Solar Permits & Connections application. It covers the Solar NOC, design approval and the estimated invoice. After installation, the contractor asks for an inspection. DEWA then installs the meter and turns on the connection. The application is free of charge.

What is the difference between DEWA and SEWA solar rules?

DEWA publishes a full solar process, a capacity formula and net-metering terms. SEWA’s public pages that we could read show no solar PV connection procedure, capacity limit or export terms. So a Sharjah project needs SEWA’s written instructions. Do not reuse a DEWA submission with the utility name changed.

Is net metering available throughout the UAE?

No single rule covers the UAE. DEWA’s Connection Conditions (version 4.1) carry surplus forward as a kWh credit with no cash payout. Abu Dhabi’s 2017 regulation had the same credit-only model. But its February 2026 DoE policy says net metering is permitted only where DoE explicitly authorises it. SEWA publishes no terms.

What size solar system is allowed in the UAE?

In Dubai, the limit is a share of the plot’s total connected load. It is 100% of the first 100 kW, then 75%, 50% and 25% in later slabs, with a ceiling of 1,000 kW. Abu Dhabi’s 2017 regulation applies to systems up to 5 MW per premises, limited to the approved load. SEWA publishes no limit.

How long does UAE solar approval take?

DEWA’s service page lists design approval and estimate in 12 working days, inspection in 1, performance testing in 3 (above 100 kW only) and metering in 1. That is 17 working days in total, or 14 without performance testing. These are DEWA’s processing targets, not construction time. SEWA publishes no targets.

What is a DEWA approved solar EPC?

DEWA calls them enrolled Electrical and DRRG Solar PV consultants and contractors. A company needs a solar trade licence and employees holding DEWA’s Solar PV Expert certificate. Only enrolled companies can file Dubai solar applications. DEWA publishes the enrolled list as a PDF.

Is there a DEWA approved equipment list?

Yes. DEWA publishes a list of eligible equipment, but it is non-exhaustive. You can still use equipment that is not listed if it complies with DEWA’s standards. The maker must send DEWA proof of compliance through the equipment eligibility process.

What is the DEWA equivalent in Abu Dhabi?

Abu Dhabi’s network operator is TAQA Distribution, formed from ADDC and AADC. Rooftop PV follows the 2017 Small-Scale Solar PV Energy Netting Regulations and the Department of Energy’s self-supply policy of February 2026. Ask TAQA Distribution which rules apply to a new application.