DEWA Approved Solar Panels: The Eligible Equipment List Explained

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Key Takeaways

• DEWA does not "approve" solar panels — its official term is eligible equipment, and it explicitly states that listing is not an endorsement or warranty of any kind.
• The list is now a live, searchable web portal on dewa.gov.ae, last updated 29 July 2026; the old PDF version is obsolete.
• Jinko Solar, CSI Solar (Canadian Solar), Trina Solar, LONGi, and JA Solar are among the module makers on the list; Growatt, Huawei, Sungrow, and SolarEdge are among the eligible inverter brands.
• For a grid-connected Shams Dubai system, both your panels and your inverter must appear on the current portal — check the exact model with your enrolled contractor before you pay a deposit.

Does DEWA actually approve solar panels?

If you searched for "DEWA approved solar panels", you should know one thing before anything else: approved is not DEWA's word. The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority maintains a list of eligible equipment for the Shams Dubai rooftop solar programme, and the list carries an explicit disclaimer that inclusion "does not constitute an endorsement or warranty of any kind".

That distinction matters in practice. Eligibility means a manufacturer's equipment has been registered through DEWA's process and can be used in a grid-connected Shams Dubai installation. It does not mean DEWA has ranked the panel, vouched for its performance, or guaranteed its warranty terms. A salesperson who describes a panel as "DEWA approved" as though it were a quality award is stretching the truth — the honest claim is "listed as eligible equipment with DEWA".

The rest of this guide uses DEWA's own terminology, because that is what you will see when you verify a quote against the official portal.

What is the DEWA Eligible Equipment portal?

The Eligible Equipment list is a live web portal on dewa.gov.ae, found under the Shams Dubai guides and tools section. As rendered in August 2026, the portal showed a last-updated date of Wednesday, 29 July 2026 — so it is actively maintained, not a static document.

The portal is searchable by manufacturer name and can be filtered by three equipment categories:

Figures as of August 2026.

All three categories matter for a compliant installation, which is one reason applications must go through a DEWA-enrolled contractor rather than a DIY route.

Why is the old PDF list obsolete?

For years the eligible equipment list circulated as a PDF, and copies of it still float around supplier websites and forums. DEWA has retired it: the last PDF edition was dated 30 June 2023, and DEWA's page states that any equipment listed prior to the launch of the web portal must be re-registered through the DRRG Equipment Portal.

The practical consequence: a panel that appeared on the 2023 PDF is not automatically eligible today. If a supplier shows you a PDF screenshot as proof of eligibility, treat it as out of date and check the live portal instead. Only the portal reflects the current register.

Which solar panel brands are on the DEWA eligible list?

As observed on the portal in August 2026, the PV module list includes most of the global Tier-1 names alongside regional manufacturers. A partial view of the manufacturers listed:

Figures as of August 2026. The portal is the authoritative, current register — always confirm the specific manufacturer and model there.

Note that eligibility is recorded at the level DEWA registers it, and manufacturers add and re-register equipment over time. The list above is a snapshot, not a permanent roster.

Which inverter brands are eligible under Shams Dubai?

Panels are only half of a compliant system. The PV inverter filter on the same portal showed, as of August 2026: Growatt, Huawei, Sungrow, GoodWe, SMA, Fronius, SolarEdge, Enphase, Deye, Solis (Ginlong), KSTAR, Sofar, Hoymiles, and Ingeteam, among others.

If you are comparing quotes, check both halves: an eligible panel paired with an unlisted inverter is not a connectable system. Your enrolled contractor should be able to point to both the module and the inverter on the live portal before you sign.

How do you check whether a specific panel is eligible?

The check takes a few minutes and requires no account:

1. Open the Eligible Equipment List portal on dewa.gov.ae (under Shams Dubai guides and tools).
2. Select the equipment category — PV Module for panels, PV Inverter for inverters.
3. Search for the manufacturer named on your quotation.
4. Confirm the listing matches the manufacturer your contractor is actually supplying, and ask the contractor to confirm the specific model is registered.

If the manufacturer does not appear, ask your contractor to explain — the equipment may need re-registration through the DRRG Equipment Portal, or the quote may need different equipment. Do not rely on verbal assurances or old PDF copies.

What does eligibility mean for warranty and quality?

Less than the marketing suggests. DEWA's disclaimer — that listing does not constitute an endorsement or warranty of any kind — means all the usual buyer's diligence still applies. Eligibility tells you the equipment can be connected under Shams Dubai; it tells you nothing about which listed panel is better, how long the manufacturer will honour its warranty in the UAE, or whether the local supplier is authorised by that manufacturer.

Treat the eligible list as a floor, not a ceiling: any quote that fails it is disqualified, but among quotes that pass it, you still compare warranty terms, local support, and price exactly as you would anywhere else.

What should you ask your contractor about eligible equipment?

Three questions cover most of the risk:

• "Show me this exact module and inverter on the live DEWA portal." Not a PDF, not a brochure — the portal, with its current last-updated date.
• "Is the interface protection equipment also listed?" The portal's third category is easy to overlook and equally required.
• "Are you on DEWA's enrolled contractors list?" Shams Dubai applications can only be made through DEWA-enrolled consultants and contractors, so eligible hardware in un-enrolled hands still cannot be connected.

A contractor who answers all three quickly and in writing is showing you the compliance basics are handled — which frees you to compare the things eligibility does not cover.

Does DEWA approve solar panels?

Not in the endorsement sense. DEWA maintains an Eligible Equipment list for the Shams Dubai programme, and it states that listing does not constitute an endorsement or warranty of any kind. Equipment must be on the list to be connected, but eligibility is not a quality award.

Where is the official DEWA eligible equipment list?

It is a live web portal on dewa.gov.ae under the Shams Dubai guides and tools section. You can search it by manufacturer and filter by PV Module, PV Inverter, or Interface Protection. The old PDF list is obsolete.

Are Jinko, Canadian Solar, and Growatt on the DEWA list?

Yes. As of August 2026, Jinko Solar and CSI Solar (Canadian Solar) appear among the eligible PV module manufacturers, and Growatt appears among the eligible PV inverter manufacturers on DEWA's portal.

Can I use a panel that is not on the eligible list?

Not for a grid-connected Shams Dubai system. Equipment listed only on the old PDF must be re-registered through the DRRG Equipment Portal, so always confirm the specific model on the live portal before purchase.

References

• DEWA – Eligible Equipment List (DRRG portal)
• DEWA – List of Eligible Equipment (landing page)
• DEWA – Shams Dubai
• DEWA – Shams Dubai Connection Process