Total, Abengoa to set up a solar power plant

Abu Dhabi: France's Total and Spain's Abengoa will sign a contract with the United Arab Emirates to build a $600 million solar power plant southwest of Abu Dhabi.

The Shams plant will produce 100 megawatts of power. The two companies have a 40 percent stake.

Work on the solar farm is due to start in July and it will begin operations in 2012.

Abu Dhabi wants to meet 7 percent of total energy needs through renewable sources by 2020.