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What Are the Rules for Rooftop Solar in Abu Dhabi?

What DoE's rooftop solar policy allows in Abu Dhabi as of 14 November 2026: who it covers, self-consumption only, licences, TAQA Distribution and tariffs.

By Mujtaba Ali, Co-Founder & Operations Director

8 min readLast reviewed

A farm running on solar and a battery: farms were the first group DoE's policy covered.Illustration

The short answer

As of 14 November 2026, Abu Dhabi's Department of Energy (DoE) runs a policy on rooftop solar PV and battery storage that took effect on 5 February 2026. It is for self-consumption: DoE says net metering and exports are not permitted at this stage. A licence is required. DoE's rules say installation is by an approved Solar PV integrator. The detailed DoE guidelines on applications and metering are not yet published.

policy took effect (phase 1: farms, rest houses, ranches)
5 Feb 2026
phase 2 began (villas and residential buildings, where applicable)
31 Mar 2026
  • Self-consumption: no net metering or export at this stage.
On this page8 sections

What is Abu Dhabi's rooftop solar policy as of 14 November 2026?

Abu Dhabi's Department of Energy issued Use of Solar Photovoltaic and Battery Energy Storage Systems for Self Supply (document DoE/ED/G04/005, on solar PV and battery storage). It took effect on 5 February 2026. Here is where things stand as of 14 November 2026:

DoE's rules say installation is by an approved Solar PV integrator.

The policy covers solar PV with battery storage, so a battery is part of the picture.

The detailed DoE guidelines on applications, metering and settlement are not yet published. The policy says DoE will issue them. Until they appear, treat any fee, size limit or timeline you are quoted for Abu Dhabi as unconfirmed. For how to pick an installer, see what an Abu Dhabi installer should do.

Self-consumption
Generating power behind your own meter and using it on site, instead of selling it to the grid.
DoE
The Department of Energy, Abu Dhabi's energy regulator.
phase 1 start
5 Feb 2026
phase 2 start
31 Mar 2026
export or net metering at this stage
0

What does zero-export mean for my system?

Zero-export means your system makes power for use on your site and sends none to the grid. That fits the rule above: the policy is built around self-consumption, section 2.1. Any export would be metered separately and would need DoE's express authorisation. None is available today.

In Abu Dhabi, the systems we offer are zero-export, with hybrid (battery) and off-grid options:

  • Zero-export, grid-connected: the system is sized to the load you use while the sun is up. Anything the panels make beyond that is not exported.
  • Hybrid (battery): a battery moves daytime surplus into the evening. See the battery storage service and the solar battery guide.
  • Off-grid: a system on its own circuits with no grid connection, for farms and remote sites.
A hybrid villa in Abu Dhabi in the evening, running on its battery. Illustration
Zero-export
A system sized and controlled so that no power flows back into the grid.
Hybrid
A solar system with a battery, so daytime surplus is stored for the evening instead of being lost.

Who does the policy cover?

The policy covers any customer, a person or a company, supplied under TAQA's current tariffs. Phase 1 opened with farms, rest houses and ranches. Phase 2 added villa owners and residential buildings "where applicable". Gulf News also reports that DoE invited commercial and industrial consumers to join phase two.

DoE assesses large consumers case by case.

DoE has not published size limits, fees or a document checklist for homes. If you are a tenant, an apartment owner or a business, the safe step is to ask TAQA Distribution before you commit to a design.

Who is the utility in Abu Dhabi, and what about Al Ain?

TAQA Distribution is the utility. Its customer site taqadistribution.com still carries the two older brands: ADDC (Abu Dhabi Distribution Company) and AADC (Al Ain Distribution Company).

  • Abu Dhabi city and the wider emirate: ADDC pages and bills under the TAQA Distribution name.
  • Al Ain: TAQA's 2021 annual report names AADC as the distributor in Al Ain city. Check which brand holds your meter before you plan the application.

We found no TAQA Distribution solar connection page online as of 14 November 2026, so the utility steps are not published in one place.

Who is allowed to install it?

DoE's rules say installation is by an approved Solar PV integrator. The distribution company process for contractors, consultants and "Solar PV Integrators" runs on a Distribution Company Competency Certificate. Category 7 is the Solar PV Integrator category, in ADDC's Process for Approval of Licensed Contractors (revision 2, April 2023). The certificate is valid for one year. The process document also requires an engineer registration, a trade licence, an HSE certificate and PV training and experience.

Ask any installer for their certificate before you sign.

What does Abu Dhabi power cost?

Every unit your solar system makes is a unit you do not buy. These are TAQA Distribution's published 2025 rates, all VAT-inclusive:

  • Expat villa, up to 200 kWh a day (about 6,000 a month)

    Rate (fils/kWh)
    26.8

  • Expat villa, above 200 kWh a day

    Rate (fils/kWh)
    30.5

  • Commercial

    Rate (fils/kWh)
    20.0

  • Industrial below 1 MW

    Rate (fils/kWh)
    28.6

  • Private farm (agriculture rate)

    Rate (fils/kWh)
    4.5
Table 1. TAQA Distribution rates as of 1 January 2025, from addc.ae Rates & Tariffs 2025. A farm run as a business pays the commercial rate.

Because exports earn nothing, the value of a zero-export system is the bill it removes at these rates. A private farm on the 4.5 fils rate saves far less per unit, so we check your bill first. For the other emirates, see solar costs by emirate.

Fils
One hundredth of a dirham. 26.8 fils is AED 0.268 per kWh.

How does Abu Dhabi compare with Dubai?

Abu Dhabi

Export
Not permitted at this stage
Aim of the system
Self-consumption
Utility
TAQA Distribution (ADDC and AADC brands)
Batteries
Policy covers PV with battery storage
What we offer
Zero-export, hybrid (battery) and off-grid
Detailed rules
DoE guidelines not yet published

Suits: Size for the load you use by day, and add a battery for evenings

Dubai

Export
Net metering under Shams Dubai
Aim of the system
Offsetting imports with exports
Utility
DEWA
Batteries
A grid-connected system needs no battery: the grid is your storage
What we offer
Net metering, or off-grid for any site
Detailed rules
See the Shams Dubai guide

Suits: Size for the whole bill and export the surplus

For the Dubai process, see the Shams Dubai guide.

Every emirate side by side: rooftop solar rules in each emirate.

Sources

Abu Dhabi rules FAQs

All 48 questions →

Not at this stage. As of 14 November 2026, DoE says net metering and energy exports are not permitted under its rooftop solar policy. The policy text says it does not permit net metering, cross-plot electricity sales or private wire arrangements unless DoE explicitly authorises them.

Yes. DoE's policy is a licensing regime, and press coverage of the launch says customers apply for a licence through the TAMM platform. We could not find the TAMM service page or its fee, so check the current steps before you apply.

Phase 2, announced on 31 March 2026, extends the policy to villa owners and residential buildings 'where applicable'. DoE has not published size limits or a document checklist for homes yet.

Yes. DoE's policy covers solar PV with battery storage. In Abu Dhabi, systems are zero-export, with hybrid (battery) and off-grid options.

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