Masdar, one of the world’s leading renewable energy companies, and W Solar Investment, a subsidiary of Alpha Dhabi Holding, and a development and investment company in the solar energy industry, have formed a joint venture company (JVC) to develop clean energy projects in a range of geographies.

The new company, MW Energy Limited, will act as a development platform, focusing initially on a pre-identified pipeline of projects, while also exploring new opportunities under the guidance of both owners.

The total capacity of these pre-identified projects is more than 8 gigawatts (GW), and the JVC will also explore and develop other opportunities to meet the shareholders’ clean energy objectives.

MW Energy will also support the Etihad 7 innovation program, a UAE-led initiative to secure funding for renewable energy projects in Africa that aims to supply clean electricity to 100 million people by 2035. The program will raise funds from the public and private sectors for clean energy investment, with guidance and coordination from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MoFAIC) and Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change.