TL;DR
A solar PPA lets a developer finance, own, and operate the system on your roof while you pay per kWh generated — zero upfront capital. In the UAE this is almost always branded a "solar lease," with ownership transferring to you at the end of the term (SirajPower).
Every verified solar PPA/lease deal in Dubai is commercial or industrial — historically sized between 200 kW and 10,000 kW. There is no verified residential solar PPA product in Dubai (The National).
Named providers include SirajPower (Axiom Telecom, DP World, Al Ghurair), Yellow Door Energy (100+ UAE projects), and Positive Zero — contracts commonly run 15–22 years, with vendor lock-in cited as the #1 customer objection (SME10X).
If you move or sell the property, your banked solar credits are forfeited — this is DEWA's own rule, not a vendor term (DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions v4.1). Compare commercial solar options →
What Is a Solar PPA?
A Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is a financing structure where a third-party developer designs, funds, builds, and operates a solar system on your property — and you pay only for the electricity it produces, at an agreed rate per kWh. You never own the hardware during the contract term, and you take on no upfront capital cost.
Yellow Door Energy's CEO describes the model directly: "our particular approach is to do it through a long-term power purchase agreement or equipment lease. So the upfront cost is covered by us. We're the investor, who are the owner and operator" (Jeremy Crane, Yellow Door Energy, video interview, October 2025). Industry commentary summarises the arrangement plainly: "Yellow Door Energy acts as the developer, financier, and operator. They design the plant, pay for the panels, handle the construction, and take on all the operational risks. The customer… simply provides the roof or car park space. Once the sun hits the panels, the customer pays YDE a monthly 'solar bill' based on the electricity generated" (Disruptors Digest, April 2026).
Performance risk sits with the developer, not you: "If the panels don't produce, the customer doesn't pay" (same source). Yellow Door's own founder confirms the alignment: "We've structured our contracts so that our interests are aligned with our customers'. In other words, we get paid when our solar plants generate electricity, and the more solar power we generate, the more money our customers save" (Entrepreneur ME, June 2019).
The UAE Nuance: "Solar Lease" Usually Means PPA
Here's the detail that trips people up when researching this topic in Dubai: the dominant marketed product isn't called a "PPA" — it's called a "solar lease." But functionally, it behaves like a PPA, with one added feature: title to the hardware transfers to you at the end of the term.
SirajPower's own product page spells out both sides of the deal:
"SOLAR LEASE — You are the Lessee: No upfront investment. No operational obligations. Enter into a leasing agreement. Pay rent in form of a tariff for the energy produced by the solar system during the agreed lease period. Option to purchase the system per the lease agreement (after the lock-in period). Own the solar system at the end of the agreed lease period." (SirajPower)
Note the phrase "pay rent in form of a tariff for the energy produced" — that's a PPA payment mechanic wearing a lease label. Yellow Door Energy uses nearly identical language on its regional site: "A solar lease is a long-term contract with a performance guarantee on your solar plant. There is no capital expense. You pay a monthly solar bill once the solar plant starts generating electricity" (Yellow Door Energy, Saudi Arabia market page — note: this is Yellow Door's Saudi page; product structure is the same across its regional markets, but savings percentages on that page are Saudi-specific, addressed below).
Even providers use the two terms interchangeably in the same breath: "a long-term power purchase agreement or equipment lease" (Jeremy Crane, Yellow Door Energy). And a genuine, explicitly-labelled PPA does exist in the region too — Positive Zero's generation arm SirajPower signed a "Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)" with ADNEC Group spanning "a 15-year period with a 5 Mega-Watt Peak (MWp) installed capacity" (SirajPower press release, January 2025) — though note this specific project is in Abu Dhabi, not Dubai.
Our take: in the UAE, "commercial solar leasing" and "solar PPA" usually describe the same commercial reality. What actually matters isn't the label — it's three things: the contract term length, whether you pay per kWh generated or a fixed rent, and who owns the environmental attributes (I-RECs) at the end. All three are addressed below.
PPA vs. Lease vs. Outright Purchase
Outright purchase (EPC/CAPEX)
-Who owns the asset: You, from day one
-What you pay: Full capital cost + ongoing O&M contract
-End of term: You own it throughout
-UAE evidence: DEWA requires an O&M contract regardless of ownership model — DEWA DRRG Connection Guidelines v2.0
Solar lease (UAE-standard)
-Who owns the asset: Developer, during the term
-What you pay: Rent as a per-kWh tariff
-End of term: You take ownership
-UAE evidence: SirajPower
PPA (explicitly labelled)
-Who owns the asset: Developer, during the term
-What you pay: Per-kWh tariff for delivered energy
-End of term: Per contract terms
-UAE evidence: SirajPower/Positive Zero — ADNEC, Abu Dhabi
BOOT (build-own-operate-transfer)
-Who owns the asset: Developer, then you
-What you pay: Monthly bill
-End of term: Transfers to you
-UAE evidence: Entrepreneur ME, Oct 2024
Shared energy savings contract
-Who owns the asset: Developer
-What you pay: A negotiated share of the energy saved
-End of term: —
-UAE evidence: Entrepreneur ME, June 2019
Named PPA/Lease Providers Active in Dubai
The projects below are all sourced from company press releases, marketing pages, or trade press — label them as vendor-reported, not independently audited figures.
SirajPower
SirajPower delivered the first privately-owned PV system under a lease in the region: "Axiom Telecom and SirajPower have signed a 20-year lease agreement to deliver the first privately owned photovoltaic (PV) system in the Middle East… SirajPower will install the PV system at its own costs on Axiom Telecom's roof and will be paid a monthly rent based upon the electricity produced by the system… in Dubai Silicon Oasis… total power generation capacity of 400KW" (SirajPower press page).
Other named SirajPower deals:
DP World — a "22-year lease agreement," with SirajPower's O&M team of "more than 20 people" employed "for the O&M period — the next 22 years" (TradeArabia, November 2018).
Al Ghurair Properties — a "transformative 21-year partnership" at the Al Quoz Display Centre, generating an expected 17 GWh of clean energy, under which "SirajPower finance, design, construct, operate, and maintain" the system (Zawya, October 2023).
Apparel Group — a "15 year's leasing scheme" for a 1.8 MWp system across two JAFZA warehouses (Zawya, October 2018).
Al Abbar Aluminium — a "20-year lease agreement," with the mechanism explained as: "The electricity is used onsite and the surplus is exported to the grid. An offset between exported and imported electricity units will be conducted and the customer account is settled based on this difference, a system known as net metering" (MEED, March 2018).
SirajPower's financing depth is a useful credibility signal: it secured "a $50 million (Dh183.6m) long-term, non-recourse credit facility deal with Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation," described as building "the GCC's 'largest lease-funding platform for distributed solar energy'" (The National).
Yellow Door Energy
Yellow Door Energy, headquartered in JLT, Dubai, reports "over 100 solar projects in the United Arab Emirates, supporting over 50 different organizations" (Entrepreneur ME, October 2024). Named UAE deals include a solar lease with Chalhoub Group (Zawya, December 2025) and a 580 kWp car park rooftop plant for Lipton, where "Lipton didn't pay a single dirham upfront for the hardware" (Disruptors Digest, April 2026). A law firm confirmed refinancing of "31 solar projects in the UAE" for Yellow Door Energy in 2023 (Stephenson Harwood).
Positive Zero
Positive Zero (SirajPower's parent) states: "Projects are financed over a period of up to 25 years. No upfront investment is required. Monthly payments are based on the energy and services used," promoted around four claims: "No Upfront Costs / No Performance Risk / No Construction Risk / No Operational Risk" (Positive Zero).
Note on AMEA Power: we did not find verified evidence of AMEA Power operating a UAE rooftop/distributed commercial PPA offering, so it is not included here.
Contract Risks: What to Push Back On Before You Sign
A PPA or lease removes your upfront capital risk — but it replaces it with a long-term commitment risk. Here's what to interrogate before signing.
Term length: 10–22 years is normal
Real UAE deals run long: 20 years (Axiom Telecom, SirajPower); 22 years (DP World, TradeArabia); 21 years (Al Ghurair, Zawya); 15 years (Apparel Group, Zawya). Entrepreneur ME describes Yellow Door Energy's typical BOOT terms as "usually spans 10 to 15 years" (Entrepreneur ME), while Positive Zero markets financing "up to 25 years" (Positive Zero). Bottom line: expect a 10–22 year commitment as the realistic range.
Vendor lock-in is the #1 acknowledged objection
Even the providers admit this openly. Yellow Door Energy: "One of the biggest challenges — from a customer viewpoint — is that they must commit to a single vendor for 10-20 years. This long-term commitment requires a high degree of mutual trust between us and the customer" (SME10X, June 2018).
The "if you move" risk
This is the honest answer to a question every prospective PPA customer should ask. Yellow Door Energy's CEO puts it directly: "it is a long-term commitment, right? So you don't step into a contract with us or panels on a building unless you have a 10 plus year building business life. So if you're a short-term renter, that…" (Jeremy Crane, video interview, October 2025). If your business might relocate, downsize, or wind down its lease on the premises within the contract term, a PPA carries real exit risk.
Buyout options exist but the terms aren't public
SirajPower's own product page notes an "option to purchase the system per the lease agreement (after the lock-in period)" (SirajPower). What's not published anywhere we could find is the buyout pricing formula or how long the lock-in period actually is. Ask for these numbers in writing before signing — don't assume a "fair market value" buyout will be cheap.
Ownership transfers at the end — usually for a nominal fee
Providers confirm end-of-term ownership transfer: SirajPower says you "own the solar system at the end of the agreed lease period" (SirajPower); Entrepreneur ME confirms customers "will own the plant on their premises outright at the end of the contract" (Entrepreneur ME). Industry commentary adds that this transfer often happens "for a nominal fee" (Disruptors Digest) — but that's commentary, not a confirmed contract term, so get the exact transfer mechanism in writing.
Not every business qualifies — credit screening is real
PPA/lease providers are selective. Yellow Door Energy's founder stated directly: "'The exact terms [of the leasing agreement] will vary depending on the [credit rating] of the customer,' said Mr Crane. 'We are very careful with who we choose as customers.'" The same coverage notes leasing agreements historically ran "for 15 to 20 years on installations between 200kW and 10,000kW" (The National — an older article, but the sizing floor is consistent with current project data). That 200 kW minimum effectively rules out villas and small shops from this financing model entirely.
Escalation clauses: unverified — ask explicitly
We found no published UAE-specific PPA escalation rate or indexation clause. Do not assume a typical annual escalator — ask your provider directly what the escalation schedule is and get it in writing before signing.
What happens if you sell the property?
No vendor source addresses this directly — but DEWA's own connection rules do, and they matter regardless of who owns the hardware (see the next section).
Savings claims vary enormously — treat every percentage as marketing
Vendor-quoted savings ranges span an extremely wide band across different sources and years: "5%" per kWh cited in one early piece (The National); "savings between 15-40% off their utility bills" (Entrepreneur ME, 2019); "roughly 10 to 40 per cent, depending on local market regulations and dynamics" (Entrepreneur ME, 2024); "reduce utility bills by 10 to 50 per cent" (SME10X); "typically 15% to 40% lower than the traditional utility grid price" (Disruptors Digest). A separate, frequently-cited "save 15-25%" figure appears specifically on Yellow Door Energy's Saudi Arabia market page (Yellow Door Energy) — that number is Saudi-specific and should not be presented as a UAE figure.
The honest range across all vendor claims for the UAE spans roughly 5% to 40%+. Treat every one of these as installer or provider marketing, not an audited outcome, and get a site-specific projection in writing before you sign anything.
Get an independent comparison of quotes →
Who Actually Owns the Savings and the Credits?
This is the section most PPA marketing pages gloss over — and DEWA's own rules answer it more clearly than any vendor page does.
1. You — the account holder — are the "Producer" in DEWA's eyes, not the developer. DEWA's Connection Conditions define this precisely: "Any Renewable Generator shall be connected under one Consumption Account (Hosting Account), specified by the Producer during the application process." A "Producer" is "any Person that generates electricity from solar energy and connects it to the Distribution System" (DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions v4.1, §2.4 and §1.3).
2. That means the bill credits land on your DEWA account — not the developer's. The developer's return comes entirely from the per-kWh tariff (or rent) that you pay them under your private contract. SirajPower's own language confirms this structure: you "pay rent in form of a tariff for the energy produced by the solar system during the agreed lease period" (SirajPower). MEED describes the mechanics identically for a real deal: "The electricity is used onsite and the surplus is exported to the grid. An offset between exported and imported electricity units will be conducted and the customer account is settled based on this difference, a system known as net metering" (MEED, March 2018).
3. Credits can never be transferred to a third party — including the developer. "Surplus Electricity can only be offset against future electricity consumption of Consumption Accounts held by the Producer within the same Plot, and cannot, in any case… be transferred for offsetting against electricity consumption of any other Person" (DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions v4.1, §2.4).
4. Green certificates must be self-redeemed — ask who claims them. "Any I-RECs or other renewable energy certificates obtained by the producer for on-site clean energy generation shall be self-redeemed, without any sale or transfer to third parties" (same source). If your business cares about sustainability reporting, get this in writing: if the developer claims the environmental attributes under the private contract, you cannot also claim the carbon reduction for your own ESG reporting.
5. If you move or sell, your banked credits are forfeited — this is DEWA's rule, not the vendor's. This is the single most important, most under-covered fact in this entire topic: "In case of rent or transfer of the property, a joint request from the Producer and the new tenant or owner can be submitted to the Authority requesting the transfer of the Renewable Generator from the Hosting Account to the account of the new tenant or owner. Any Surplus Electricity that might be recorded for the Hosting Account will not be transferred to the account of the new tenant or owner, and will be forfeited upon closure of the Hosting Account" (DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions v4.1). Installer commentary is consistent with this: "DEWA has confirmed that under the Shams Dubai scheme there is no time limit on the period during which excess generation credits can be banked for, however this is dependent on the customer remaining on the premises" (Alsa Solar).
This matters for a PPA specifically: whatever credit balance has built up on your account disappears the moment you close the Hosting Account — regardless of who financed or owns the hardware underneath it.
The Critical Regulatory Boundary: What DEWA Actually Prohibits
This is where a lot of PPA marketing gets vague, and where SolarQuote.ae wants to be precise. Third-party-financed leases and PPAs demonstrably operate at scale in Dubai — dozens of named, bank-financed projects prove that. But there are hard limits DEWA has explicitly drawn, and they matter regardless of which provider you talk to.
What DEWA explicitly prohibits:
A Producer renting out space so tenants can consume the solar generation. "The intent of Shams Dubai is to give Customers the opportunity to generate solar PV energy at their premises for their own use. Arrangements in which a Producer rents out space allowing tenants to make use of electricity generated under Shams Dubai by the Producer are not acceptable" (DEWA DRRG Connection Conditions v4.1).
Offsetting generation across different customers. "Under current legislation, electricity produced by a PV system cannot be offset against electricity consumed by different customers. Offsetting is only permitted for electricity used in the building's common areas… Alternatively, individual tenants can instal solar systems for their own use" (DEWA Consumer FAQs).
Cash payment for surplus — outside the separate D33 industrial feed-in scheme, DEWA's own words are unambiguous: "the producer shall not be paid any money for the excess electricity" (DEWA Shams Dubai FAQ).
What is not verified — and this matters: we found no DEWA document that expressly authorises, defines, licenses, or regulates a "third-party PPA" as a distinct product. Shams Dubai regulates the Producer (the account holder) and the enrolled contractor — it is silent on the private commercial contract sitting behind the hardware. The workable structure, consistent with everything DEWA has published and with how the market actually operates, is this: the business remains the Producer and Hosting Account holder in DEWA's system, while the developer finances, owns, and operates the physical hardware under a separate private contract with the business.
This is our interpretation of how the pieces fit together — it is not a DEWA statement, and no DEWA document names or licenses "PPA providers" as a category. Ask any provider you're considering to explain, specifically, how their contract structure keeps your business as the DEWA-registered Producer while they retain asset ownership.
Is There a Residential Solar PPA in Dubai?
No. Every single verified solar lease or PPA deal in this research is commercial or industrial. The one historical sizing datapoint we found puts the realistic floor at 200 kW — an order of magnitude above what a typical villa would ever install (The National). If you're a villa owner researching "solar PPA Dubai," the honest answer is: this financing model isn't built for you yet. Your realistic options are to purchase the system outright (with financing available separately through your bank or the installer) or wait for a residential leasing product to emerge — none currently exists.
For businesses, though, especially those with premises over roughly 100 kW of potential system size, a PPA or solar lease is a proven, bank-financed path to solar with no upfront capital outlay.
Quick Abu Dhabi Note
Abu Dhabi's regulatory picture is different and worth a brief mention if your business operates there too. The Abu Dhabi Department of Energy's new self-supply policy states: "Nothing in this Policy shall be construed as permitting net metering, cross-plot electricity sales, or any form of private wire arrangements unless explicitly authorised by the DoE" (Abu Dhabi DoE Self-Supply Policy). Yet a 15-year PPA at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi was publicly announced by the UAE's state news agency (WAM) — meaning on-site self-supply PPAs are happening in Abu Dhabi too. The restriction is specifically on cross-plot sale and private wire arrangements, not on-site self-supply PPAs themselves. Abu Dhabi runs on self-supply, not automatic net metering — see our Abu Dhabi solar guide for the full breakdown.
The Bottom Line
A solar PPA — almost always marketed as a "solar lease" in the UAE — is a proven way for Dubai businesses to add solar with zero upfront capital, backed by real, bank-financed deals from providers like SirajPower and Yellow Door Energy. But it's a 10-22 year commitment with real vendor lock-in, credit screening, and exit complications if your business relocates or is sold. The business, not the developer, remains the legal "Producer" in DEWA's system throughout — which means understanding exactly how your contract protects your interests as that Producer is the single most important thing to get right before signing.
If you're weighing a PPA against buying outright, the smartest first step is getting multiple quotes so you can compare the actual numbers side by side.
