Middle East July - Aug Issue 2021

Empowering, Insightful, Engaging

W W W . S O L A R Q U A R T E R . C O M

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‫ المشاركة‬، ‫ الثاقبة‬، ‫التمكين‬

Middle East

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J U L Y - A U G

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CONTENT 04

NEWS

MIDDLE EAST NEWS

PUBLISHING

18

IN CONVERSATION

DR. FIRAS BALASMEH Co-Founder & CEO, FB Group

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EDITING Sangita Shetty

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IN CONVERSATION

FARAH A. QAQISH DGM, Izzat Marji Group

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CONTENT Ashwini Chikkodi

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INSIGHTS

SOLAR PV PLUS STORAGE OUTLOOK

Sadhana Raju Shenvekar Sanjana Kamble publishing@firstviewgroup.com

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CIRCULATION Kunal Verma

SUBCRIPTION

24

INSIGHTS

HOW FALLING PRICES LEAD TO THE RAPID GROWTH OF SOLAR IN THE GULF MARKET?

26

INSIGHTS

HOW IS SOLAR SURFACING AS A REAL ALTERNATIVE IN UAE?

28

INSIGHTS

POST-PANDEMIC SCENARIO: RENEWABLES GAINING GROUND IN THE MIDDLE EAST

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PRODUCT FEATURE

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COMPANY FEATURE

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BUZZ >

SAUDI ARABIA TO PRODUCE 30% OF ITS ENERGY FROM RENEWABLES BY 2030

DEWA ADOPTS DISRUPTIVE SOLUTIONS AND LATEST TECHNOLOGY AT AL SHERA’A

R esearch report released by investment banking company

Natixis shows, Saudi Arabia has high potential to capitalise on solar energy – photovoltaic technology and concentrated solar power technology – to drive its economic diversification agenda. It also pointed to wind energy as a promising front as technological advancements make wind farms more economically viable. Saudi Arabia, under its Vision 2030 development programme, is looking to produce 30% of its energy from renewables. The kingdom is host to 16% of the region’s solar capacity, with the UAE holding 68% and Kuwait, 9%, according to the report. While renewables are set to take up an increasing portion of the energy pie, oil and gas are still likely to drive post-pandemic economic recovery, the Natixis report read.

Dubai Electricity and Water

Authority’s (DEWA) has appointed a consortium led by Moro Hub (Data Hub Integrated Solutions LLC), a subsidiary of Digital DEWA, the digital arm of DEWA, Ghantoot Group, Johnson Controls, the global leader for smart healthy and sustainable buildings and Microsoft, to implement the latest digital twin technologies, the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, and smart building management solutions in DEWA’s new headquarters, called Al Shera’a (Arabic for sail). Al Shera’a will be the tallest, largest, and smartest government Net Zero Energy Building with net zero carbon emissions in the world. The total energy used in the building during a year will be equal to or less than the energy produced on-site.

DEWA adopts the latest disruptive solutions and Fourth Industrial Revolution applications at Al Shera’a. This supports the vision to become a globally leading sustainable, innovative corporation. This also protects the right of future generations to live in a clean, healthy and safe environment.

Middle East

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CLEAN ENERGY TO PLAY VITAL ROLE IN AZERBAIJAN’S PROSPEROUS AND CLIMATE-RESILIENT FUTURE A zerbaijan would benefit from energy market reforms,

efficiency requirements and more clean energy to prepare for energy transitions both at home and abroad, according to a new policy review by the International Energy Agency. While oil and gas will continue to dominate both Azerbaijan’s economy and its energy supply in the medium term, commitments taken by its leading trading partners to achieve net-zero emissions raise questions about the long-term demand for the country’s fossil fuel exports, the IEA report says. The policy review recognises that Azerbaijan currently contributes to global energy security through its role as a reliable exporter, noting examples such as the recently completed Southern Gas Corridor that supplies Azerbaijani gas to Europe. The overarching recommendation is to gradually shift from the current energy system to one based on competitive markets, significant private sector participation and prices that cover operating costs. Measures to diversify energy supply, cut subsidies and increase efficiency would also help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

With further economic growth and urbanisation expected in Azerbaijan, the report encourages the government to integrate energy and climate aspects into long-term urban development and transport planning.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 5

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PV CLEANING EXPERT SUNBRUSH®MOBIL PARTNERS WITH CONSTRUCTION ENTERPRISE UNITED MOTORS & HEAVY EQUIPMENT CO. (L.L.C) – U.A.E. The construction machinery group United Motors & Heavy Equipment Co LLC (UMHE) from the United Arab Emirates – U.A.E. is now exclusively selling SunBrush® mobil cleaning machines in the Middle East. As a full service partner, UMHE is also responsible for installing and commissioning as well as servicing and maintaining all cleaning machines of the German PV expert in the United Arab Emirates.

The first three SunBrush® mobil TrackFlex cleaning machines will be commissioned by UMHE at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum solar park in Dubai at the end of August. Thanks to its total capacity of 5 gigawatts – which it will reach by 2030 – the power plant will be the largest solar energy project in the world. UMHE sources its wheel loaders especially from the Wacker Neuson subsidiary Kramer-Werke in Pfullendorf, less than 100 kilometers from the PV cleaning expert’s headquarters in Lachen, Bavaria. SunBrush® mobil can, therefore, mount the brushes directly on Kramer vehicles on site and ship the complete system by container to the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai. SunBrush® mobil is currently setting up its own warehouse in the free trade zone. In addition to the TrackFlex system developed for tracking solar systems, SunBrush will also store its generalpurpose SunBrush® mobil Compact machines as well as spare parts at the trans-shipment center.

Middle East

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UAE AND SAUDI ARABIA TO LEAD DISTRIBUTED ENERGY MARKET IN THE GULF Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis on the

distributed energy market in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) finds that it is gathering momentum with declining technology costs, resource availability, and favorable policies.

This encourages customers to self-generate electricity through distributed renewable sources and sell excess electricity back to the grid, transforming customers into prosumers (an individual who consumes as well as produces goods or services). The region’s total distributed energy market, which encompasses distributed solar photovoltaic (PV), distributed wind power, hybrid systems, diesel gensets, and gas gensets, is estimated to garner a revenue of $602 million by the end of 2021 from $480 million in 2020, registering strong double-digit growth at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25.4%. This will be driven by the recovery in the diesel gensets market along with strong growth in rooftop solar PV and hybrid power systems. The UAE and Saudi Arabia will lead the market for distributed energy, with Oman set to emerge as the fastest-growing market in the region.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 6

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MASDAR WINS 200 MW OF SOLAR TENDER IN ARMENIA

TAQA, ABU DHABI PORTS TO BUILD GREEN HYDROGEN FACILITY PAIRED WITH 2 GW SOLAR PLANT

M asdar has won a 200 MW Utility Solar

Abu Dhabi National Energy Company

tender to build in Armenia. The 200 MW plant will be located in the Talin and Dashtadem communities of Armenia, in an area where solar radiation is both high and land is unusable for agricultural purposes. The US$174 million plant is span over 500 hectares and is expected to create numerous jobs. The tender was part of the Joint Development Agreement signed between Masdar and the Armenian National Interest Fund CJSC (ANIF) in November 2019, to develop renewable energy projects with a total capacity of 400 MW in Armenia.

The project will be developed on a design, finance, build, own, and operate (DFBOO) basis and the project company will be 85 percent owned by Masdar, with ANIF holding 15 percent.

PJSC (TAQA), one of the largest listed integrated utilities in the region, and Abu Dhabi Ports, announced they are discussing the development of an industrial scale green hydrogen to ammonia export project in Abu Dhabi. A partnership on a green hydrogen to ammonia project on this scale between TAQA and Abu Dhabi Ports, would be a significant step towards placing Abu Dhabi at the heart of a new emerging global market for green energy. The companies will work together on developing proposals for a green ammonia export facility to be based in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD). The new plant would be fuelled by hydrogen produced by an electrolyzer facility paired with a 2 GW solar photovoltaic power plant.

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INPEX, JERA AND JOGMEC SIGN JOINT STUDY AGREEMENT WITH ADNOC FOR CLEAN AMMONIA PRODUCTION INPEX, JERA and JOGMEC Sign Joint Study Agreement with ADNOC on Exploring

the Commercial Potential of Clean Ammonia Production Business in the United Arab Emirates. Through this joint study initiative, INPEX, JERA and JOGMEC will, together with ADNOC, explore the commercial potential of producing and transporting clean ammonia to Japan. This clean ammonia with vastly reduced carbon footprint will be produced in Abu Dhabi from natural gas-derived hydrogen, where most of the CO2 emitted from the production of ammonia will be sequestered and utilized in enhanced oil recovery (CO2EOR1) operations at Abu Dhabi onshore oil fields in which INPEX has a participating interest. Including the implementation of this joint study, JOGMEC will further promote international cooperation in the fields of CCS, clean hydrogen and ammonia, and contribute to the realization of a carbon-neutral society through the stable supply of natural resources and energy.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 7

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EGYPT’S ENERGY STRATEGY 2035 TO INCLUDE GREEN HYDROGEN E gyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi urged the preparation of an integrated national strategy for the production of green hydrogen in light of the growing international interest in this promising source of energy for the near future. The ministry said it would update Egypt’s Energy Strategy 2035 to include green hydrogen.

Green hydrogen is the hydrogen fuel created by using renewable energy instead of fossil fuels to almost eliminate harmful emissions.

The strategy targets empowering Egypt to generate and use hydrogen, coping with the international progress in this field along with international experiences and adding green hydrogen energy to the integrated national system of energy. The meeting, also attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, reviewed the developments of Egypt’s cooperation with experienced international bodies in the field of generating green hydrogen using renewable energy. In January, Egypt’s Ministry of Electricity signed an agreement with Germany’s Siemens to start studies for establishing a pilot project for producing green hydrogen in Egypt. Egypt has taken big steps to increase the total energy produced from renewables, including the establishment of the world’s largest solar park of Benban in Upper Egypt’s Aswan.

INSIGHT >

MIDDLE EAST SOLAR PV TRENDS T he issue of sustainable development is receiving unprecedented levels of

attention and relevance around the world. The Middle East is home to a large number of oil exporters as well as some of the world’s largest carbon emitters.

The region has taken on the responsibility of reducing greenhouse gases (GHG), and as a result, the countries in the region have set ambitious goals to promote renewable energy and, thereby, reduce their carbon footprint. This article unfolds the different aspects of the solar industry in the Middle Eastern nations. The countries in the Middle Eastern region have recognised and acknowledged the benefits and ease that the solar power industry will bring in.

To make the most of it, the governments of these countries are also trying hard to develop and promote ways and policies to increase the use and reliability of renewable means.

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SAUDI ARABIA: EMERGING SOLAR DESTINATION IN MIDDLE EAST I n the motion to end the era powered by fossil fuels, Saudi Arabia is also

looking out for renewable and environmentally friendly alternatives for their energy consumption. Saudi Arabia is clearly interested in solar energy and the government plans to expand it exponentially in the kingdom. This is particularly because the one thing that the country abundantly has is: sunlight.

Given the country’s Covid-19 challenges, the solar sector is doing well in the short term of 2020. The solar industry takes a cleaner and more environmentally friendly approach to generating energy, contributing to an environmental revolution and establishing a sustainable industry in Saudi Arabia. This industry is also capable of laying the groundwork for a regionally competitive local industry. Moreover, Saudi Arabia also stands tall as an example for other nations to put on their thinking caps and innovative shoes to walk the road to renewables.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 8

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DEWA ANNOUNCES ITS SECOND SOLAR DECATHLON MIDDLE EAST IN NOVEMBER

The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) will host its second Solar Decathlon Middle East (SDME) for universities to design, build and operate sustainable solar-powered houses. DEWA has allocated more than 60,000 square metres at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park for the event, to be held in November in conjunction with Expo 2020 Dubai. Hosting the SDME Village at the Solar Park offers several advantages, including powering the facilities of the village with clean energy. SDME encourages the younger generation to innovate and unleash their creativity to support global efforts to mitigate climate change and become future energy leaders.

University students work on their projects focusing on delivering smart and efficient housing solutions while taking into consideration the environment and climatic conditions of the region.

Middle East

RENEWABLES READINESS ASSESSMENT: THE REPUBLIC OF TUNISIA Tunisia has experienced growing dependence on

imported fossil fuels over the past two decades, largely due to increasing energy consumption across its national economy and falling domestic hydrocarbon production. The country’s electricity generation mix is dominated by natural gas, production of which has stagnated in recent years, leaving Tunisia increasingly vulnerable to supply disruptions and volatile energy prices. The targets were updated to reflect Tunisia’s climate commitment, specifically as pledged in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The bulk of the country’s mitigation potential arises from the energy sector, including 68% from energy efficiency and 32% from renewables. Various barriers to renewable energy development were identified through the Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) process.

These could be addressed through eight key recommended actions.

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KSTAR, CMEC AND DUBAI PV DEVELOPER TEAM UP FOR 76 MW PV PROJECT IN UKRAINE C hina’s solar inverters and energy storage

system manufacturer KSTAR has announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a 76 MW solar project in Ukraine with CMEC (China Machinery Engineering Corporation) and a Dubai PV developer in UAE. According to KSTAR’s project manager Ven Zhou, the company’s collaboration with CMEC will act as a supporter towards PV development in Ukraine, making it easier for customers and the local people to access solar power. KSTAR and CMEC agree to co-operate and collaborate and support the Dubai PV developer to implement and develop the project. KSTAR has installed more than 1.5GW solar inverters in Ukraine. Most of the PV projects are ground-mounted PV projects. They have a good performance and win a great reputation from our customers.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 9

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INCREASE IN SUPPLY OF CLEAN HYDROGEN

BY THE MIDDLE EAST

ENERGY TRANSITION IN MIDDLE EAST REGION A ccording to the MEED Insights’s report, in the H1 of 2021, the Middle East and North

Africa (MENA) countries were given $2.8 billion renewable energy projects in comparison to no contract given for gas or oil-fueled power stations. As per the report, between 2017 to 2020, the average value of contract awards for gas or oil-fueled power stations was $4.8 billion every year. In 2020, $6.2 billion were awarded to these stations. Now, the goal is reducing emissions and using more renewables in the MENA region. With 21 GW of hydropower, MENA has a renewable energy capacity of 28 gigawatts (GW) installed. Now UAE and Saudi Arabia who are giant oil producers and exporters are planning to install solar power capacity in the future. In the MENA countries, green hydrogen is now a new trend. Renewable energy of around 98 GW is planned to be added in the MENA region and nearly 39 GW will come online in this decade. As per the report, the world’s largest and cheapest solar projects are in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai. Governments must ensure adequate power and water to meet the needs of rising populations and expanding economies.

A ccording to a new World Energy Council report titled ‘Hydrogen on the Horizon: ready, almost set, go?’, as countries are exploring different ways to decarbonize, interest is surging in clean hydrogen around the world. Also, by 2050, the global energy consumption of hydrogen could be around 6% and 25%. In July 2021, Saudi Arabia disclosed its plan for a green hydrogen facility of $5 billion, which is the world’s greatest project. Countries like Oman, the UAE, and Egypt (Middle East countries) earlier also announced their projects to increase the demand. But the concern lies in the prices of lowcarbon hydrogen which as compared to other energy sources is still higher which is a challenge.

The report also suggested countries to work together in order to create a global value chain and open the myriads of possibilities of hydrogen for the world economy.

Middle East

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WASTE TO ENERGY PLANTS BY UAE TO BURN TRASH The UAE is planning to burn around two-thirds of its trash to build waste incinerators for

dealing with the problem of waste. According to Bloomberg, one of the largest waste-toenergy facilities in the world is being built in Dubai of worth $1.1 billion, a smaller one in Sharjah and this will start operating this year. Also, two more projects are being built in Abu Dhabi. UAE plans to become carbon neutral by 2050 and burning trash will cause carbon emissions for which achieving the country’s goal will become difficult. Sharjah’s waste company, Bee’ah, is trying to lessen the effect by creating green spaces by installing a 120-MW solar array on top of the plant and producing hydrogen from the garbage to fuel its rubbish trucks. This way, Sharjah can close its landfill site. The CEO of the company, CEO Khaled Al Huraimel said he wants to export the model across the region, including Saudi Arabia.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 10

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SIRAJPOWER SIGNS A SOLAR LEASE AGREEMENT WITH C1 WATER INDUSTRIES LLC S irajPower gains specialty chemical manufacturing solar plant project and signs solar lease agreement with C1 Water Industries LLC. This is for a 400 KWp solar rooftop system. This is the first one in the form of the C1 Water Industries solar project in Dubai Industrial City. Later in 2021, the company signed an agreement for a 700 KWp solar rooftop plant with Ayush Food Industries – Walq Dubai to power its factory at the National Industries Park. SirajPower will fully finance, design, build, maintain, and operate Ayush Food Industries for a 700 KWp solar plant to entirely power the packaging and food distribution factory. The solar installation is expected to generate 1.2 GWh of clean sustainable energy which is equivalent to 200 cars which can release carbon emissions of around 800 metric tonnes.

COLLABORATION OF DEWA’S R&D CENTRE AND STANFORD UNIVERSITY I n recent news, Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)’s R&D

Centre Collaborates with Stanford University to develop an advanced system to forecast PV production with the Space D programme. This development will take place at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (the biggest single-site solar park worldwide) using the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. By 2030, it will have a capacity of 5,000MW. The new system will help in reducing errors to less than 10% during the forecast. This will assist DEWA in achieving the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050 which aims at providing clean energy by 2050 to 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity. Modern technologies like deep learning, artificial intelligence, high-density cameras on the main satellite and a network of meteorological stations to predict irradiance, dust and cloud movement, are used under this system which can affect the performance of PV.

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WATER EXTRACTION FROM AIR THROUGH SOLAR AT MASDAR, UAE

Middle East

The world’s first project to extract water from air using solar will

be launched in August at Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, UAE. This will produce an uninterrupted water supply. The pilot project for the same will take place between AQUOVUM (a US-based water technologies company) and Masdar and Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The project will evaluate the performance of AQUOVUM’s large-format Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) technology with a renewable energy source, and its ability to be included in current and/or future sustainable water projects. As per the Global Market Insights, The market is expected to grow more than 25% (CAGR) across the world and 30% in Africa and the Middle East region with the contribution of AWG technology. The Middle East and Africa are water-scarce with bad climates and the technology will help in getting good quality water. Azelio AB, Sweden, will supply the green power needed for 24/7 electrical thermal energy storage at Masdar Institute Solar Platform.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 11

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NADEC TO START ITS SOLAR PROJECT IN Q4 AFTER GETTING DELAYED TWICE

In the Middle East and North Africa territory, the National Agricultural Development Company (NADEC) is one of the biggest food and agricultural companies.

The company said its 30 MW solar power project’s Phase 1 will be completed by August-end in NADEC City, Haradh. Phase 1of the solar power project has a capacity of 10 MW. Phase 2 and last phase would have a capacity of 20 MW and will be completed by October end, 2021. The construction of 80% of the project is completed. In July 2019, NADEC had signed a 25-year solar Power Purchase Agreement with France’s Engie at a fixed price of 9.4 Halalahs per kWh to implement the solar power project.

The operations of the project were scheduled to start by October-end, 2021.In July 2019, NADEC said that its carbon emissions would be reduced to 53 million kg per year and the fuel consumption would be reduced to 124,000 barrels per year. The company also said, from this fuel consumption, the financial savings will also start gradually after the company starts operation.

Middle East

EMERSON PARTNERS WITH SIRAJPOWER FOR GREEN ENERGY PROJECT AT DUBAI E merson collaborated with SirajPower for a new project of installing a solar rooftop plant in its Dubai office. The office situated at the Middle East and Africa Head Office is now the largest solar rooftop plant in a single location within Jebel Ali. This significant sustainability project supports Emerson’s long-term commitment and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals to promote decarbonization efforts, minimize emissions and enhance resource efficiency. The project is fully designed, financed, constructed, and operated by SirajPower. It covers an area of 19,340 sqm across four of Emerson’s office buildings and warehouses with 5,489 solar panels in Jebel Ali South. This system will generate 3.923 GWh of clean energy every year and has a capacity of 2.6 MWp. Annually, this solar plant will diminish the company’s carbon emissions by 2,891 metric tons. The plant is anticipated to go live by Q4.

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BIGGEST SOLAR PLANT BY MASDAR IN ARMENIA A rmenia is expanding its renewable energy capacity

with a new plan to build two new solar power plants.

Masdar and Armenian government finalized an agreement to build a solar power plant by 2025 in Armenia. Ayg-1 is a 200 MW plant which will become Armenia’s largest solar plant. The plant will have around half of the current capacity of Armenia’s main energy generator. As per the government, Masdar initiated the project and later the government announced an international tender for a large-scale solar power plant in 2019. Masdar was given the opportunity to beat the lowest tariff proposed by any other company. Masdar originally bidded $0.0299 per kWh (which the government turned down as it was too high), and Masdar then offered the bid for $0.0290 per kWh. The plant will be built at Aragatsotn province of central Armenia over 500 hectares. 85% of the plant will be owned by Masdar and remaining 15% will be held by Armenian National Interest Fund (ANIF).

Masdar is a subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company, which is UAE’s sovereign wealth fund.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 12

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CONSTRUCTION BEGINS OF THE FLOATING SOLAR PLANT IN MASDAR

IN Q2 2021, THE MIDDLE EAST AND AFRICA’S POWER INDUSTRY RISE UP TO 15% As per GlobalData’s power database, in Q2 2021, the Middle East and Africa’s

M asdar is one of the leading companies for renewable energy. In recent news, Masdar and PT PJBI (subsidiary of Indonesia’s state-owned electricity company PT PLN) has now started its construction work on the Cirata Floating Photovoltaic Power Plant project. This is Indonesia’s first floating solar power plant.

The plant will start its operation in Q4 2020. The capacity of this plant is 145megawatt (ac). This plant will be the largest in Southeast Asia and one of the biggest across the world. It is built on the Cirata reservoir in the West Java Province.

The plant will power 50,000 homes and will add nearly 800 jobs. By 2025, Indonesia is targeting 23% of its energy mix coming from renewable energy under its Electricity Infrastructure Acceleration Programme.

Also, The Indonesian government recently announced to raise the proportion of renewable power to 48% in the 2021-2030 national electricity plan, from 30% as per its previous plan.

power industry saw a rise of 15% and saw 106 new contracts. The average number of contracts announced was 92 in the past one year. In Q2 2021, Saudi Arabia had 24 contracts with 22.6%, down by 4.3% from the previous quarter and up by 85% from the last four-quarter average. UAE had a share of 10.4% with 11 contracts followed by Iran with 9 contracts and a share of 8.5%. In the last fourquarter, Saudi Arabia was at the top with 13 contracts, UAE and Egypt with 7 contracts (on an average). Solar with the largest proportion accounted for 60.9% share with 42 contracts. This was followed by Power Plant with 28 and Generation Equipment with 23 in Q2 2021. Project Implementation with 39 contracts and a 36.8% share, followed by Supply & Erection with 25 contracts and a 23.6% share were the proportion of contracts by category in the quarter.

The list is followed by Consulting & Similar Services with 20 contracts and 18.9% share, Power Purchase Agreement with 14 contracts and a 13.2% share, and Repair, Maintenance, Upgrade & Others with 8 contracts and a 7.5% share.

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GREEN HYDROGEN PROJECT BY TAQA AND EMIRATES STEEL TAQA (Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC) is one of the biggest listed integrated utilities in the Middle East. TAQA CEO and Managing Director, Jasim Husain Thabet, and CEO of Emirates Steel, Engineer Saeed Ghumran Al Remeithi signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for developing a large-scale green hydrogen project enabling the first green steel produced in the MENA region. The green hydrogen will help in low carbon steel manufacturing, saving energy while creating a sustainable and clean manufacturing process as well as for the transportation sector. This project also lays the foundation for growth and expansion to cater the international demand. TAQA’s 2030 strategy for growth comprises increasing gross power capacity from 18 GW to 30 GW in the Middle East and up to 15 GW globally and green hydrogen is a valuable part of it. By 2030, solar PV will be more than 30% capacity of the generation portfolio in renewable energy.

Middle East

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AIRPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY PROJECT

BY RAC AND ENGIE

R iyadh Airports Company (RAC) and ENGIE (global leader in lowcarbon energy and services) have launched an Energy Efficiency project at King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) in Riyadh. RAC manages and operates KKIA. The RAC project will assist in developing cost-effective, energysaving measures with the diversification of clean energy sources. It will also help in reducing energy costs and demands while providing solutions for conservation for energy. The project includes the private aviation terminals, support facilities, the Airport’s industrial zone, substations, airfields, and district cooling plants, water transfer, and treatment plants.

An energy consultancy and audit will be performed by ENGIE to identify and develop energy conservation measures that will lower the facility’s cost of operation and maintenance, energy use. ENGIE will analyze and design reliable and scalable system architecture to monitor and report energy and water consumption to allow for flawless resource management from centralization.

Middle East

OMAN TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS IN 9 YEARS BY 7% O man aims to lower greenhouse gases (GHG) to cut

down carbon emissions. 4% of GHG reduction will be based on national efforts and 3% would necessitate grants and other forms of concessional financing and help with capacity building and institutional strengthening as per the Sultanate’s Second Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). As per the report, by 2030, a GDP growth rate of 3% annually is predicted with a population of 6.3 Million at about 125.254 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e). Article 6 of the Paris Agreement is an additional mechanism for the Sultanate to achieve cost-efficient emission reductions, facilitate the transfer of carbon mitigation technology, and deliver significant sustainable development co-benefits. As per the report, the continuous increase in overall energy efficiency was attributed to the older, less productive plants’ closure, technical advances in the gas-fired plants, and a switch to combined-cycle plants.

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RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS IN KUWAIT A ccording to a report by Al-Rai daily, in partnership with

the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, The Minister of State for Municipal Affairs and Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development (Shaya AlShaya) formed a task force for Housing Welfare (PAHW) in the Public Authority to study and approve the authority’s renewable energy projects. Members of the task force are Badour Al-Sharrah, Bassem Al-Mislim, and Khaled AlRashidi, and Faisal Mulla Ali, Yasmine Al-Hashemi, Rahaf Al-Otaibi. The tasks of the task force comprises follow-up study and review of all plans, design, and implementation, specifications, studies, reports, and materials of the solar photovoltaic system, for each project of PAHW distinctly. The tasks also comprise of approval of the subcontractor for solar energy works of each PAHW project separately, by representatives of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy, according to the list of companies approved by the ministry, and submitting the final plans for the solar PV system for each project of PAHW, for approval by representatives of the Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 14

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DEWA TO PROVIDE 75% OF DUBAI’S TOTAL POWER CAPACITY FROM CLEAN ENERGY BY 2050 Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is the first government organization to adopt sustainability in its strategic plan to achieve long-term sustainability goals and the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

This solar park will provide 75% of Dubai’s total power capacity from clean energy sources by 2050 with a capacity of 5,000 MW (2030) and will decrease nearly 6.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions every year by supporting the Dubai Clean Energy Strategy 2050. With the efforts of DEWA, 22% net carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced in the year 2019. From 2011 to 2020, DEWA’s environmental initiatives reached cumulative savings of 2.44 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity which is equivalent to saving AED 1.35 billion and decreasing 1.220 million tonnes of carbon emissions.

Middle East

IFC INVESTS IN EGYPT’S FIRST PRIVATE SECTOR GREEN BOND TO GIVE BOOST TO CLIMATE FINANCE & DRIVE GREEN GROWTH I FC is investing $100 million in Egypt’s first private sector green bond to help unlock

finance for climate-smart projects, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and support the country’s transition to a greener economy. The bond, issued by Egypt’s Commercial International Bank (CIB), the country’s largest private bank, will help CIB increase lending to businesses that want to invest in eco-friendly initiatives, including green buildings, renewable energy and energy efficiency, markets which are still nascent in Egypt. The debut issuance is an important milestone in a multi-year effort by the government, Egypt’s private sector and IFC to grow Egypt’s capital market for green finance in the country and to help close infrastructure financing gaps. IFC is one of the earliest issuers of green bonds, launching its first such issuance in 2010 to help catalyze the market and unlock investment for private sector projects that support renewable energy and energy efficiency. Since the launch of its green bond program in 2010, IFC had issued $10.6 billion across 178 green bonds in 20 currencies. To date, IFC has supported five financial institutions to issue debut green bonds in Africa.

BUZZ>

RENEWABLE POWER CAPACITY TO RISE AT 10% CAGR IN TURKEY BY 2030 A ccording to ‘Turkey Power Market Outlook to 2030, Update 2021 – Market Trends,

Regulations, and Competitive Landscape’ by GlobalData, power capacity (renewable) is likely to rise to 49.31GW by 2030 from 19.07GW in 2020 with a 10% of compound annual growth rate (CAGR) in Turkey. The Renewable Energy Law is supporting this growth to help Turkey in achieving its renewable power targets. Turkey is anticipated to reach its target by 2026. The country already reached the goal of a solar PV capacity of 5GW by 2023 in 2018 and now it is planning by 2027 to achieve a cumulative solar PV capacity of 15GW.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 15

INSIGHT >

LATEST>

ENERGY TRANSFORMATION WILL BENEFIT EGYPT: EXPERTS

SIRAJPOWER INKS MAJOR LONGTERM SOLAR DEAL WITH EMIRATES GROUP S irajPower, UAE’s locally-owned and leading

A discussion on “Energy prospects in

Egypt: Opportunities and challenges” was held between the German Fredrich Ebert Foundation and Al-Ahram centre and on energy transformation. The panel was organized by Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies. The experts said that this change will result in the cooperation of the European Union (EU), and China, Egypt and the US, in energy projects.

Egypt has a good amount of renewable energy sources, human resources, and financial and legal systems which assist it to invest in green energy. In the near future, energy transformation is expected to face more challenges including fossil fuel imports and exports globally as it has a bad impact on the environment. A carbon tax might be imposed by European Union (EU), which is another obstacle. Also, going forward, banks, international financial institutions (IFIs), and global sovereign funds might deny providing finance to the oil sector projects. The panel also stated that solar energy, wind energy and green hydrogen industry projects are aligned with the country’s strategy of becoming a regional energy hub.

Middle East

distributed solar energy provider, announced the signing of a long-term solar deal with Emirates Group to install the region’s first and largest solar carport for a sports facility. The 2 MWp solar carport will be custom-built for Sevens Stadium, a facility owned by Emirates Group known for hosting the world-famous annual Emirates Dubai 7s as well as other international sporting and entertainment events throughout the year. Under this long-term partnership, SirajPower will undertake the complete scope of services for the solar carport which includes the design, installation, financing, long-term operation, and maintenance. The project consists of installing 4,500 solar modules over an area of 10,551 m2, producing 3.6 GWh of clean energy annually, and thereby offsetting over 1,496 metric tons of CO2 emissions every year. The Sevens Stadium features eight floodlit sports fields, six cricket ovals, four netball courts, and 15,000 parking spaces. It is the largest sports facility of its kind in the UAE, hosting 7,000-10,000 people each week during the winter season for community sports.

BUZZ>

LAUNCH OF SOLAR CELL SYSTEM AT CAIRO AIRPORT BY THE GOVERNMENT A protocol was signed by Egypt’s Ministries of Environment, Trade, and Industry, and

Civil Aviation to provide financial and technical support by the EEAA. This was for the supply, execution, and operation of small grid-connected solar chargers and cells equipped with solar-powered display screens. These will be built at Cairo Airport. The national project for small grid-connected solar cell systems will be implemented by the IMC in collaboration with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility will provide the funding. Some of the key benefits of this project are reduction in emission which is good for the health of our environment, electricity generation through solar energy, savings in power bills will provide economic return, etc. This will also help in the rational consumption of natural resources.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 16

INSIGHT >

LATEST>

SIRAJPOWER SIGNS A 2MWP SOLAR CARPORT DEAL WITH EMIRATES GROUP S irajPower has signed a deal with Emirates Group for installing a solar carport. This will be the largest and first solar carport for a sports facility in the region. The 2MWp carport will be built for Emirates Groupowned Sevens Stadium which is known for annual Emirates Dubai 7s and other entertainment and sporting events.

During this collaboration, the company will design, install, finance, operate, and maintain the solar carport.

The solar project will install 4,500 solar modules over 10,551 sq m of an area which will produce clean energy of 3.6 GWh every year. This will offset around 1,496 metric tons of carbon emissions annually.

Dubai’s world-class venue The Sevens Stadium will become the greenest sports arena in the region. The stadium with 15,000 parking spaces has 8 floodlit sports fields, 6 cricket ovals, and 4 netball courts. This facility can also host 7,000 to 10,000 people every week for community sports during winter.

Middle East

ALEC ENERGY SIGNS A CONTRACT WITH DEWA FOR SOLAR PV A LEC Energy signed a contract with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) for providing solar photovoltaic solutions at DEWA’s new headquarters Al-Shera’a, Al Jaddaf area of Dubai.

ALEC Energy provided a multi-tiered solution which includes the delivery of around 21,150m2 of building attached photovoltaic (BAPV) panels on the roof, more than 1,000m2 of building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels in the facade and nearly 2,000m2 of podium fins and also fibre optic collectors, solar trees and shaded structure PV, which collectively will produce 4.8 MWp after completion. This will ensure the new headquarters reaches its net zero targets. ALEC Energy along with contractors ATKINS, Ghantoot Transport & General Contracting LLC and consultant is designing walkable and customized solar panels with a high transparency attribute that matches the striking architectural design of the building.

BUZZ>

5% OF BAHRAIN’S POWER GENERATION FROM RENEWABLE ENERGY BY 2025 D r. Abdulhussain Mirza, chairman of Sustainable Energy

Authority (SEA) met the member and second deputy chairman of Parliament, Ali Ahmed Zayed. This meeting was to talk about renewable energy sources for powering utilities and service facilities. The efforts of SEA was appraised by Mr.Zayed as it was encouraging the use of renewable and environmentallyfriendly power sources for fighting the climate change A target was set by National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NEEAP) to produce 5% of Bahrain’s power by 2025 with renewable energy and increasing it to 10% by 2035. Energy efficiency ratings for commercial and residential buildings, based on actual consumption and replacement of 70,000 street lights and 400,000 bulbs with LED bulb systems. SolarOne’s 2 solar panel factories in Bahrain are priced at BD4 million with a target of 80,000 solar panels annually. Solar panels are installed at schools, homes, and also at the Bahrain International Circuit.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 17

IN CONVERSATION

DR. FIRAS BALASMEH CO-FOUNDER & CEO, FB GROUP

The main challenge is the approval process for the rooftop sector. There are many government and private institutes involved in it.

Also there is no proper system to encourage the housing sector to install solar systems.

SolarQuarter Middle East magazine interviewed Dr. Firas Balasmeh, Co-Founder & CEO, FB Group. He spoke about FB Groups offerings in the Middle East region. He gave great insights on solar progression and technology used in the region. He also discussed how his company is contributing towards the clean energy sector in the region.

Please tell the readers about the services FB Group provides in Renewable Energy space.

Firas Balasmeh Corporation for Control Systems "FB GROUP", is a Jordanian private owned corporation operating from Jordan since 2010. FB GROUP is run by a professional team of well experienced and multi-disciplinary engineers.

We work as a system integrator that provides services for business organizations and people to find quality vendors of reliable and high quality hardware, software, service, training & support.

Services provided by FB Group are Turnkey solutions, design, engineering, supplying, installation, commissioning, testing, training, and operation and maintenance.

What are the current challenges and opportunities especially in the rooftop solar sector in Jordan? How can the challenges be faced?

What are some smart technologies being adopted in the Solar sector in the Middle East region?

The most commonly used technology is the SCADA solution.

Also in some projects the automatic cleaning systems are used. In some cases we consider the automatic weather stations too in the region.

How do you see the energy storage market evolving in the Middle East in the near future?

Storage is the future of renewable energy, especially in our region. Till now very little investment is done in this sector.

How do you see your company contributing to the clean energy sector in the Middle East in the next couple of years?

We are working currently in two countries only, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Our plans to expand to the GCC countries. We will keep contributing to clean energy as a global, regional and local strategy for the next 30 years. One day the universe should work 100% on renewable energy only.

The whole sector of Jordan is currently under evaluation from the ministry of energy, not allowed for mega scale projects.

But the rooftop sector is growing well and the only sector that is open and growing now.

The main challenge is the approval process for the rooftop sector. There are many government and private institutes involved in it. Also there is no proper system to encourage the housing sector to install solar systems.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 18

TOP INDIAN SOLAR CEOs 2021

Aman Mathur MD AND CEO, ADDWATT

Krishnamoorthy Sitaraman

CEO & FOUNDER, GLOGREEN ENERGY SOLUTIONS

Amol Anand CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR, LOOM SOLAR PVT LTD.

Manan Thakkar CO-FOUNDER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, PROZEAL INFRA ENGINEERING PVT LTD

Ankit Kanchal

Dr. Gaurav Sood

MD AND CEO, ENRICH ENERGY PVT. LTD.

CEO, SPRNG ENERGY PRIVATE LIMITED

Naresh Mansukhani

Parag Sharma

CEO, JUNIPER GREEN ENERGY

Pinaki Bhattacharyya

Rajat Seksaria

MD AND CEO, AMP ENERGY INDIA

CEO, ACME SOLAR HOLDINGS PVT LTD

FOUNDER - CEO, SUNSURE ENERGY PRIVATE LIMITED

DIRECTOR, PROZEAL INFRA ENGINEERING PVT LTD

Umakant Shende

Unmesh Jagtap

Varinder Bhatia

Vineet Mittal

VICE PRESIDENT & COUNTRY HEAD - INDIA, CLEANTECH SOLAR

CEO, SONNENSCHEIN ENGINEERING & INFRA LLP

BUSINESS HEAD SOLAR, HAVELLS INDIA LTD

CHAIRMAN, AVAADA ENERGY PVT. LTD.

Middle East

Shashank Sharma

FOUNDER AND CEO, O2 POWER

Shobit Rai

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 19

IN CONVERSATION

FARAH A. QAQISH DGM, IZZAT MARJI GROUP

Solar sector will gradually evolve in the region, and especially in the gulf region.

Solarquarter Middle East magazine interviewed Mr. Farah A. Qaqish, DGM, Izzat Marji Group. He spoke about the services his company offers in the Middle East. He threw light on current challenges and opportunities the sector offers in Jordan. He also mentioned about the technologies being adopted in the region and about his future plans.

Please tell the readers about the services Izzat Marji Group provides in the clean energy space.

Izzat Marji Group (IMG) was founded in 1985 as a wholesale trader for plumbing accessories and fittings. Later on, it expanded to cover more than 50 international top brands, and the group evolved to contain 6 companies inside Jordan, and 3 companies outside Jordan; located in Kuwait, UAE, and KSA. In 2012, IMG opened a dedicated company to handle the scopes and services of renewable energy and the energy efficiency solutions and services. Since then, IMG has implemented more than 500 different energy projects.

What are the current challenges and opportunities in the solar sector in Jordan ? How can the challenges be faced?

Since the issuance of the renewable energy law in 2012, there have been many successful stories all over the country; by implementing PV and Wind energy projects. Later on, some challenges came to the top such as the limitation of PV capacities in some areas due to the saturation of the grid in those areas, which led to rejecting some of the PV projects from being realized. In 2019, the government decided to limit the maximum capacity of PV systems not to exceed 1.0 MW. This led to a major reduction in the annual approved capacities, but gave room to more electricity users to implement renewable energy projects to their facilities.

Nowadays, the country reached its RE target of 20% and is now targeting to reach 30% by 2030.

Middle East

What are some smart technologies being adopted in the clean energy and energy efficiency space in the Middle East region?

For the past 10 years, the technology of the PV cells and modules is evolving more than any type of renewable energy, moreover, the prices declined by more than 200%, this was the main reason why PV systems reserved a good share of the total installed capacities since 2010. Large reputable PV manufacturers aim to increase the efficiency and make better ROI to their end products. The use of mono cells along with applying the Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC) lead to a major increase in the total efficiency. Also, halving of the cells (HC cells) increased the durability and lowered the cells resistance. On the other hand, Jordan is one of the leading countries in terms of implementing energy efficiency measures to the public buildings. Hundreds of buildings were positively affected by implementing a large make over to their energy usages and behaviors which included installing Inverter technology air conditioning units, fixing and maintaining the building's envelope, installing Solar systems for both hot water and PV applications.

Energy, Water and Environment are the most challenging issues that the whole world must focus on developing and solving any challenges that might face these sectors.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 20

Solar sector is constantly evolving with time. Is there anything that you are looking forward to in the next few years?

Solar sector will gradually evolve in the region, and especially in the gulf region. I look forward to seeing oil dependent countries adopt renewable energy solutions even for large scale projects, but I prefer to concentrate on Concentrating Solar Projects (CSP) rather than Solar PV projects; the former is more reliable and less intermittent.

How do you see your company contributing to the clean energy sector in the Middle East in the next couple of years?

IMG was and will be one of the leaders in the innovation business, it was one of the few first companies who believed in science and turned it into commercial facts. IMG will continue its expansion in the region, and will keep an eye always on any potential markets.

Anything else that you would like our readers to know?

Energy, Water and Environment are the most challenging issues that the whole world must focus on developing and solving any challenges that might face these sectors. The future is hopefully GREEN!

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 21

INSIGHTS

SOLAR PV PLUS STORAGE OUTLOOK

S

olar storage technologies are game changing solutions, but the issue of cost has limited their wider adoption.

Last year's dramatic drop in battery prices is changing the outlook, but the competitiveness of different storage systems varies. APICORP estimated in its latest Energy Investment outlook that “cost of storage/intermittency remediation still high, offsetting low feed-in tariffs. Tension will be particularly high in countries with already fragile utilities having to absorb the cost difference (Jordan, Morocco).

In the long run, it is anticipated that there will be a mix of storage technologies. However, lithium-Ion batteries are still the most widely used and advocated technology for grid storage and may continue to be so for the near future. While there have been a few other promising technologies (flow batteries, Zinc-Air, etc.), lithium batteries production is scaling up quickly and will be hard to beat on prices.

Nevertheless, 24-hour storage capability is still not within reach. To achieve that goal, a further substantial cost drop of lithium-based storage or newer viable technologies, such as renewable hydrogen in the medium term, are required.

CHALLENGES Better understanding of the applications and the technical capabilities of storage is still needed to increase penetration.

Condition of implementation of different storage systems can vary widely to maximize benefit, and need to be considered at an early stage of any storage project.

Need for more trained manpower with a good understanding of the application of energy storage projects and the ability to take a project from design to execution.

Lack of standardization of modalities of control of systems and interaction with the grid complicates choosing suppliers.

Deficit of tools to check for financial viability. Since revenue models may become increasingly complex, this element is important to convince project owners. Unlike solar, if a client wants to install a rooftop PV system, there is a very clear process including tools, like PV systems, that are bankable and trusted.

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Clear grid codes for C&I clients who want to install energy storage are not available in most countries.

Beyond utility size installations, lack of/or restrictive regulations do not allow assessment of innovative revenue models for C&I scale and PV plus storage installations in the MENA region.

PROJECTS The dramatic decrease of PV prices and the reduction of cost for storage solutions have encouraged the development of some more PV plus storage projects. Most developments in PV plus storage in MENA have taken place these last years in Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, UAE and recently KSA.

JORDAN Irbid District Electricity Company (IDECO), the Middle East’s largest solar-plus storage project at the time, was signed in 2017 under a 20-year PPA for a 4 MW/12 MWh of lithium-ion based energy storage. Financial close was reached 2018, with the plant becoming operational in February 2019.

Private industry partners signed a MOU in early-2020 for commercial collaboration for 50 kW in 2020, 3 MW in 2021, 7 MW in 2022 and 15 MW in 2023 planned. The first project is for a steel factory and will have a 50-kW capacity with 13 hours of storage planned to be installed in Jordan Q4 2020.

However, the tender for the important 30MW/60MWh standalone energy storage project in Maan by the Ministry of Energy & Mineral Resources (MEMR), in the pipeline for several years, was canceled due to COVID19.

Energy storage will be an essential component of the planned development of 11 small-scale solar PV plus storage–diesel hybrid projects in remote areas across Oman of the Rural Areas Electricity Company (Tanweer).

The project is in the last phase of attribution

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 22

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

OMAN

Former Abu Dhabi Water & Electricity Authority (ADWEA), now transformed to Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) has deployed approximately 120 MW of sodiumsulfur (NaS) high temperature batteries in 4 MW or 8 MW systems at various substations, since 2015, throughout its distribution network.

Energy storage will be an essential component of the planned development of 11 small-scale solar PV plus storage–diesel hybrid projects in remote areas across Oman of the Rural Areas Electricity Company (Tanweer). The project is in the last phase of attribution

In 2019, Abu Dhabi Waste Management Center (Tadweer) opened the first 150 MW PV plus storage batteries system in the region at its Al Dhafra landfill.

The 2 GW Al Dhafra solar PV park project PPA was awarded and signed in 2020, including an option to build on the existing battery capacity of 108 MW. This storage is operational in the current electricity storage system of Abu Dhabi.

Several pilot projects have been launched by industry members:

200 kWh batteries project will help firm up unstable power for an industrial microgrid in Sharjah.

Pilot project in Dubai including a 1.21 MW/8.6MWh lithium-ion battery system is expected to be commissioned soon.

Project of 49 MW installed capacity by 2025 of energy storage project was launched last summer for Masdar and Khalifa University with a private industry partner. For the time being, considering the present slowdown of electricity demand, additional need for large scale energy storage systems is not expressed in the near future. the country.

SAUDI ARABIA Beyond the long-term necessity to manage the ambitious intake of large shares of renewables in the grid, Saudi Arabia has also non-negligible storage needs with more than 5 GW of offgrid generation. So far, however, the regulatory framework is incomplete.

Storage is not explicitly mentioned in the energy mix objectives or among REPDO-targeted technologies.

However, storage solutions are not out of the picture as a 2.4 GW capacity of CSP is expected to be released in the future.

An indication, for example, KACARE plans to allocate $2.7 million for energy storage demonstration projects (Technology Localization & Commercialization Initiative).

A major step has been taken in November 2020 with the allocation of the utilities contract for the Red Sea megaproject, which will be 100% powered by renewable energy. It will include the world’s largest battery storage project, so far, with 1,000-MWh battery storage facility, to ensure 24-hours electricity supply.

OUTLOOK FOR BATTERY STORAGE There’s a need for long- and short-term storage to facilitate integration of additional renewable capacities into the grid but the prices are still limitative. Furthermore, the still highly subsidized electricity sector in several countries in the region limits opportunities for behind-the-meter applications and the regulatory framework is lacking.

However, in the offgrid setting, solar plus storage is becoming more cost effective in supporting renewable power sources to replace diesel generators especially in countries such as Egypt, Jordan or Morocco. Solar rooftop plus storage combination can also be interesting for energy efficient building. In the long run, prices of batteries will continue to decrease and, beyond batteries and CSP, hydrogen may well in the coming years bring adequate and competitive storage solutions

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 23

INSIGHTS

How falling prices lead to the rapid growth of solar in the Gulf Market?

T

he discussion about sustainable development is garnering unprecedented levels of attention and relevance around the world. For the same,

renewable solutions have been widely looked up to. The Gulf region is home to some of the most amazing sunlight which makes the region perfect to install and use solar powered solutions.

The

region's

leading

countries

are

steadily

commissioning huge projects and initiating new phases of their renewable energy and solar programs. The article details the insights about the same.

The Market Solar power's rise and importance in the region’s energy landscape is confirmed. Solar projects that are already operational in the region are valued at $ 5 billion to $ 7.5 billion, with a total value of $15 billion to $ 20 billion predicted to come online by 2024. Between 2019 and 2023, the overall investment in renewables in the Gulf region will account for 34% of the entire investment in the power sector accounting to be approximately USD 210 billion, or USD 71.4 billion. These bright numbers are a result of continuous capacity expansion and falling solar prices. The following section of the article

UAE And Solar The UAE has been and continues to be a leader in the Gulf region's energy transformation, having the region's largest renewable energy portfolio. In the motion to end the era powered by fossil fuels, the state has set various plans and targets such as the UAE Vision 2021, UAE Green Growth Strategy, UAE Future Strategy and more. In the projected period, 2020-2025, the solar energy market in the United Arab Emirates is expected to grow at a CAGR of more than 15%. Through the implementation of the ambitious UAE Energy Strategy 2050, the country plans to grow its clean energy share to 7% by 2020 and 44% by 2050 by investing in nuclear and solar energy. One of the dream projects, Mohammed Bin Rashid Solar Park, is expected to finish its third phase by 2020, with an estimated investment of USD 13.6 billion and the potential to power up to 1.3 million homes while eliminating carbon emissions by 6.5 million tons yearly. After completion in 2030, it is planned to generate 5 GW of energy. The United Arab Emirates has a great solar energy potential due to its favorable geographic location and average daily sunlight of 10 hours.

gives out details about how the states and their respective governments try to make the most of the abundantly available renewable source.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 24

Saudi Arabia And Solar

Rapid Growth And Falling Prices

Saudi Arabia expects to install 27.3 GW of renewable

The above-mentioned situations of the different states make it very

energy by 2023, with solar PV accounting for the

clear that the multiple benefits brought in by the solar solutions are

most, contributing approximately 20 GW of energy.

acknowledged

By 2030, this figure is expected to reach 40 GW. This

organizations and companies have tried to come up with ways to

high level of solar power is attainable due to the

reduce the overall cost of the process. With the increase in demand,

significant reduction in the cost of solar PV. The

there has also been a decrease in costs. There has been a drop in the

government

and

number of costs which makes the overall cost of manufacturing and

energy

servicing less. Moreover, cheap labor and minimum overhead costs

deployment, as well as encourage private sector

make the process even more preferred. Furthermore, the governments

investment and foster public-private partnerships.

in the region also support and promote the lowered costs by providing

Saudi Arabia's PV sector is predicted to become the

different subsidies and by introducing suitable policies that keep the

region's leading market for PV grid linked projects in

citizens on their feet. It is safe to say that with the rate of growth of the

the next few years, despite its poor manufacturing

use of solar solutions, the costs will lower down further in the time to

capability for PV value-chain items.

come. Solar has a long way to go!

regulatory

is

expected

frameworks

to for

provide

legal

renewable

and

recognized.

Due

to

the

same,

various

Conclusion The cost of solar solutions is quickly reducing, which is increasing worldwide renewable energy potential. Renewable energy sources have the potential to significantly reduce carbon emissions and the effects of global warming. In the race to renewables, the Gulf region is not very behind. Solar has been and will be a permanent solution for the region making it very suitable and appropriate to use economically as well as environmentally.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 25

INSIGHTS

How is solar surfacing as a real alternative in UAE?

I

t is not hidden that solar and the United Arab Emirates

calls for the country to generate 27% of its energy needs from

(UAE) are like best buddies! For renewable energy

renewable sources by 2021. From now until the end of 2025,

products and services, especially solar, the UAE is a

installed solar PV is predicted to grow fourfold in the state.

promising market. Renewable energy and its related solutions

From 2.1 GW to 8.5 GW, accounting for around 94% of the

seem to be the priority of the state and its government. It is

country's renewable energy capacity. This growth in numbers

expected that the state will be able to meet its renewable

is witnessed due to the increased reliability and reliance on

energy targets super soon, thanks to a "strong" solar project

solar for fulfilling all energy needs and demands.

development pipeline. The article unfolds details as to how solar is the hero in UAE.

Present Scenario When it comes to aiming for a future powered by renewables and combating climate change, the UAE adopts and shares an inspiring vision with the rest of the globe. To solidify sustainable development and migrate to clean energy, the UAE has developed many federal and national policies. Abu Dhabi and Dubai are currently making significant progress in the generation and development of clean energy sources,

Recent Projects The government of UAE is constructing Al Dhafra, the world's largest solar power facility in Abu Dhabi. This facility will diversify Abu Dhabi's energy sector, enhancing the city's overall solar power capacity and supporting a greener environment through lower CO2 emissions. By the year 2022, the plant will be completely operational. This particular project alone will result in a reduction in Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions of over 2.4 million metric tons per year,

namely solar electricity.

corresponding to the removal of 470,000 cars from the road. It

In January 2017, the UAE announced a national “Energy

3.2 gigawatts (GW), giving electricity to approximately

Strategy 2050.” The UAE has set aside approximately $163

will also boost Abu Dhabi's solar power capacity to roughly 160,000 households across the UAE.

billion to achieve its aim of increasing the contribution of clean energy sources to 50% of total capacity by 2050. This aligns with the UAE's Vision 2021 strategic strategy, which

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 26

COVID-19 Impact All industries and sectors around the world have been greatly impacted due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the COVID-19 outbreak and its aftereffects, the government of the UAE has made an appropriate amount of investment to keep ongoing solar projects functioning. The UAE has already attracted major international investors in the renewable energy sector, which is a positive omen for future growth. Moreover, with solar projects and investments, the state is expected to recover soon from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite the predicted slowdown in 2020 due to the obstacles posed by the coronavirus pandemic, the outlook for solar remains positive in the medium term, and the market is expected to grow during the projection period as the cost of solar PV generation continues to fall below that of its alternatives.

Future Outlook The UAE wants to boost clean energy's share of its energy mix to 50% by 2050, a goal that is well within reach because of cheap power purchase agreement pricing negotiated for projects and the country's renewables sector's resilience and commitment during COVID-19. The continued growth and development of the solar projects and the investment on the same by the government made sure that solar is still looked at as an appropriate solution even during the pandemic. Speaking of the times to come, various companies and organizations are trying to come up with different technologies and innovations that would help the solar industry to flourish further in the time to

Conclusion

come. Moreover, the global rooftop solar market is worth

In the solarized post-coronavirus pandemic world, a green

more than $66 billion and is exploding with prospects. Not

recovery is critical for the long-term social and economic

just residents but industrialists too are turning to solar and

future of the state. This transition has economical as well as

its benefits for their needs. Solar energy is being pursued

environmental benefits which are going to be advantageous

by emerging economies as a green and cost-effective

to the world as a whole. The sun is shining and so is the future

alternative to conventional energy sources.

of solar!

Middle East

July July--Aug AugIssue Issue2021 2021 | | Pg Pg27 27

INSIGHTS

Post-Pandemic Scenario: Renewables gaining groud in the Middle East.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on

The Middle East has seen a surge in interest in renewable

people all across the world. Aside from the horrific

energy and efforts to harness it. The location and geography

death toll, widespread lockdowns have thrown the

of the region make it exclusive to gain a lot of benefits from

economy into disarray. We are now entering into a

solar energy and its related solutions. With significant solar

phase of transformation that will be large scale and extremely

power potential and prospects to establish a green hydrogen

fast moving. The transition “into the New Normal” has shown

economy, the region has a tremendous opportunity to play a

the different shades of the economy and the environment

key part in the world's energy transformation. As solar energy

which forces mankind to rethink a lot of their decisions. In

and associated system prices continue to plummet, Middle

light of the same, the Middle East region has been trying very

Eastern countries are on the verge of paying more for solar

hard to rely upon renewables and leave the dark path of fossil

energy.

fuels. This article gives us insights into how the region is trying

development of many solar technologies, most notably CSP

to cope up with the transition to renewables.

(Concentrated Solar Power). The region is home to some of

world

Market

opportunities

have

resulted

in

the

the world's largest existing and planned CSP plants. Solar PV

Current Scenario Factors such as rapid population growth, ambitious industrial and economic expansion, and the government's resolve to get maximum energy from renewable sources and limit carbon emissions are likely to be key drivers to the market's growth.

has been the most popular technology, with CSP coming in second in terms of installed capacity. Some countries in the Middle Eastern region have established efforts with ambitious targets for boosting renewable and clean energy to their energy mixes, such as the United Arab Emirate's Energy Strategy 2050 and Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Renewable energy deployment is seen as a potential for industrial diversification, new value-chain activities, and knowledge transfer in the region, which recognizes the socioeconomic benefits. As the Middle Eastern region recovers from the immediate effects of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is now entering into a new phase of change, that is driven by the need to rebuild, rethink, and reorganize our economies and society as a whole.

Middle East

Renewable energy deployment is seen as a potential for industrial diversification, new value-chain activities, and knowledge transfer in the region, which recognizes the socio-economic benefits.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 28

Future Prospects Along with the current scenario, the countries also have prospective and motivated renewable plans for the future. The Middle Eastern countries as a whole are expected to add 3 gigawatts (GW) of solar power in 2021, more than doubling its output from 2020, and around 20GW by 2025. As countries speed up their energy diversification initiatives,

wind

and

other

sources

such

as

hydropower are also running along the path.

For instance, Jordan has increased the share of electricity generated from renewable sources from 1% in 2012 to over 20% now. In the meantime, Jordan's

government

has

chosen

to

install

photovoltaic systems in 6,000 mosques. Morocco's 4GW of renewable energy constituted by wind, solar, and hydro power accounts for about 37% of the country's total generation mix.

As of 2020, renewables accounted for roughly 6% of total installed capacity and 3% of total power generated in the UAE. The UAE's solar capacity is expected to develop at the highest rate in the region, with roughly 5GW of solar projects in the pipeline, despite the fact that it may narrowly miss its short-term targets. Due to future projects and government targets, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is predicted to dominate the Middle East renewable energy industry during the projection period. Iraq also plans to reach 10GW of solar power output capacity by 2030, with solar power accounting for 20% of total electricity generation.

Despite ongoing procurement of large-scale utility projects, Oman is still a long way from meeting its short-term goal of generating 10% of its electricity from renewables by 2025, with only a single 105MW utility solar PV project and a 50MW onshore wind project having been completed in the last two years.

Conclusion For a future filled with renewables, the Middle East as a whole has the resources, both in terms of cumulative know-how and experience and natural resources,

including

renewable

sources,

to

accomplish transformation at the speed and scale required. To achieve the required huge and rapid transformation in the region, an expedited cycle of repair, rethink, and reconfiguration will be critical.

As

a

new

sort

of

tomorrow

begins

today,

governments of the Middle Eastern countries must harness their present progress in reforming their societies and economies and move even quicker to make the most of the developments.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 29

PRODUCT FEATURE

How SG6250HV-MV Empowers the Utility-Scale Solar Market?

Optimized to the utility-scale market, Sungrow rolled out the latest turnkey central inverter solution SG6250HV-MV which is flexible to tackle the emerging demands and brings much more benefit for stakeholders of solar plants.

The containerized design minimizes the land utilization and enables cost savings on the transportation, installation, commissioning and O&M, enabling an optimized LCOE. Featuring a maximum inverter efficiency of 99% given the advanced three-level topology design, the SG3125HV-30 outdoor central inverter also characterizes a high ingress protection level of IP65. The whole cabinet of SG3125HV-30 is made up of two compartmental cavities, a heat dissipation cavity and an electronic cavity.

Meanwhile, project stakeholders tend to adopt advanced technologies, like the bifacial panel, the large panel of 600Wp+ and tracker system to maximize solar yield. Currently, the power capacity of the panel can exceed 600Wp. There are two different technical roads in large PV panels in terms of the short circuit current, one is below 15A and the other is around 18.5A. Sungrow SG6250HV-MV solution can be compatible with both types due to the reasonable selection of DC fuse.

The current of the DC fuse in the DC combiner box is up to 35A and DC fuse in the inverter is up to 630A. Most of the solar installations in the MENA market are equipped with tracker systems and bifacial modules. Sungrow, as one of the leading industry players in the MENA, can not only comply with the system requirement, but also have deep and frequent exchanges and cooperation with local players in a bid to make the project more profitable.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 50

In the early stage of the power plant construction, most of the equipment has no access to the power supply and hence, cannot be debugged when there is no electricity on the grid side. Sungrow inverter SG6250HV-MV has a selfconstructed grid function that can construct AC power with a certain frequency and certain voltage by controlling the inverter to work in voltage frequency mode, thereby supplying AC power for debugging of the equipment.

Renewable energy such as solar, wind energy feature randomness, intermittence and volatility, which will reinforce grid instability and lower short circuit ratio (SCR). As we know, the lower the SCR, the weaker the grid will be. Weak systems become more troublesome when renewable sources with fast controllers connect to them. Sungrow central inverter SG6250HV-MV can operate stably with SCR ≥ 1.02 and support fast active and reactive power control. The Q (reactive power) response time is less than 20ms and the P (active power) response time is less than 140ms to help the grid stabilize as well.

Considering that the energy storage solution can meet the requirements, such as peak shaving, power smoothening, renewable energy curtailment, frequency regulation and voltage regulation, SG6250HV-MV is reserved with a DC ESS (energy storage system) interface for future consideration, enabling no further modifications of system design.

The solution is an ideal match for projects in harsh conditions, like deserts. For example, located in a tropical desert area where the summer temperature is as high as 50 ℃ , Dubai DEWA 900 MW PV project is installed with Sungrow SG6250HV-MV solution, enabling cost-saving on transportation, installation and O&M. Given the industry-leading smart forced air-cooling technology, the solution can work without derating when the temperature is up to 50 ℃ . Other landmark projects with SG6250HV-MV include a 100MW project in Oman and a 266MW project in Egypt.

Middle East

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 31

COMPANY FEATURE Introduction Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd (“Sungrow”) is the world’s most bankable inverter brand with over 182 GW installed worldwide as of June 2021. Founded in 1997 by University Professor Cao Renxian, Sungrow is a leader in the research and development of solar inverters with the largest dedicated R&D team in the industry and a broad product portfolio offering PV inverter solutions and energy storage systems for utility-scale, commercial, and residential applications, as well as internationally recognized floating PV plant solutions. With a strong 24-year track record in the PV space, Sungrow products’ power installations in over 150 countries.

Vision Sungrow vision: Become the global leader of clean energy conversion technology

Mission Sungrow always takes “Clean power for all” as the mission of our business, and is constantly committed to the research, development, promotion and application of clean energy conversion technologies.

Sungrow aims to power more communities and facilities with state-ofthe-art products and solutions, facilitating carbon neutrality. As one of the few companies that can offer both PV and energy storage product solutions, Sungrow contributes to the global PV-plus-storage markets with increasing technical innovations, enabling an optimized LCOE and maximized yields for customers.

Company’s Products & Services PV inverter solutions: featured products like SG250HX-IN-20, a 1500V string inverter applied in the MENA region; the SG6250HV-MV, 1500V turnkey station for utility-scale plants, resilient in harsh conditions and minimizes LCOE. Energy storage system: Sungrow offers highly integrated energy storage system solutions with a wide portfolio covering residential, commercial, and utility-scale applications. The Company has expertise

in energy storage since 2006 and has products installed in countries like the USA, Europe, Australia, Japan, China and more countries with zero accidents.

Sungrow focuses on the clean energy field and has a track record for over 24 years. Sungrow maintains a large proportion of R&D investment and boasts more than 2,100 R&D employees, accounting for over 40% of the total, having applied for more than 3,100 worldwide patents. Sungrow is the pioneer in product innovations and rolls out industry-leading products like the world’s most powerful inverter, the high-efficient, durable and stable 6.25MW turnkey station. Sungrow offers PV and energy storage systems covering comprehensive applications, well matching verified demands with premium and hassle-free solutions.

With the efforts of dedicated Sungrow staff, our products are installed in over 150 countries.

With over 20 subsidiaries and over 200 service outlets, Sungrow’ll reach out to customers immediately when they are in demand.

We provide 24x7 responsive service worldwide, which could perfectly address your different issues.

Customers & Projects Sungrow powers projects in over 150 countries worldwide. In the MENA region, the Company supplied a large number of landmark projects including Oman’s largest PV project -- the 500MW Ibri 2 solar plant , an 800MW PV project in Qatar , a 900MW PV project in Dubai , and a 200MW PV project in Egypt . Sungrow takes the first place in market share in the MENA region and will facilitate the footprints in both utility-scale and distributed generation segments in this solar hub.

Quality Policy Of The Company: Sungrow has a world-class testing center, which can make sure products pass rigorous inspections. The testing center is certified by TÜV Rheinland, TÜV SÜD, CSA, UL, etc.

Sungrow also has the industry-leading 10m anechoic chamber. It can test large electrical equipment like a PV inverter turnkey station as large as 5MW, and as heavy as 20 tons at a distance of 10m.

Middle East

July July--Aug AugIssue Issue2021 2021 | | Pg Pg32 32

FEATURED TALKS

ALVIN SHI

MANAGING DIRECTOR MENA REGION, SUNGROW

How will you differentiate Sungrow’s SG250HXIN-20, the most powerful 1500V String Inverter Solution from the competition?

Kindly brief us about the presence of Sungrow in the Middle East.

With the local branch established in Dubai, Sungrow continues to make big moves with inverters installed in landmark plants, including Oman’s largest PV project -- the 500MW Ibri 2 solar plant, an 800MW PV project in Qatar , a 900MW PV project in Dubai . Sungrow takes the first place in market share in the Middle East and will facilitate the footprints in both utility-scale and distributed generation segments in this solar hub.

What is Sungrow’s growth strategy for the Middle East Market in order to expand the business?

Sungrow focuses on the clean energy field and has a track record for over 24 years. We’ll keep a growing investment on R&D and continue to pioneer on product innovations, thus we can provide a competitive product portfolio to customers in the Middle East.

To fulfill the mission of “Clean power for all”, our local team which includes sales, technical engineers, service engineers will always bring the world leading solar inverter technology and most bankable product portfolio, to optimize the LCOE for projects in the Middle East region.

What are the challenges faced in the region, especially with the harsh desert climate. How do Sungrow’s innovative inverter solutions deal with it?

Solar power is poised for future growth in the Middle East, driven by ample sunshine, booming economies and population. While given the harsh desert climate, equipment had to be chosen carefully.

Sungrow keeps pioneering cutting-edge innovations tailored to this region. Inverter solutions are resilient in complex environments such as extreme temperature, dusty and harsh conditions, given the IP66 and C5 protection capability and smart forced air-cooling technology. Solutions are compatible with bifacial modules and tracking systems, allowing higher yields.

Middle East

Sungrow SG250HX-IN-20 is resilient in complex environments such as extreme temperature, dusty and harsh conditions, given the IP66 and C5 protection capability and smart forced aircooling technology. Compatible with bifacial modules and tracking systems, the solution allows considerable yields by leveraging the sunlight resources onsite.

What have been some technology advancements made by Sungrow recently?

Sungrow offers advanced inverter solutions like SG6250HV-MV recently. The standard 40-ft container integrates key components altogether and is equipped with a self-constructed grid function which enables advanced pre-commissioning prior to grid availability and high pass rate when hot commissioning.

Considering that the energy storage solution can meet the requirements, such as peak shaving, renewable energy curtailment, frequency regulation and voltage regulation, SG6250HV-MV is reserved with a DC ESS (energy storage system) interface for future consideration, enabling no further modifications of system design.

As for the energy storage segment, Sungrow is the pioneer in 1500V energy storage system solutions with applications in key markets like the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia, China, etc. The DC-coupled and AC-coupled solar-plus-storage solution are widely adopted as per varied demands.

How has your journey been with Sungrow?

I’m the Managing Director of Sungrow MENA region, leading the sales, market strategy and development in the Middle East and North Africa market.

I was previously working as one of the first bunch of overseas sales for SUNGROW energy storage systems. Most of the time, an energy storage system is coupled together with solar, it can improve the solar plant’s performance, for instance, smoothing the output, providing solar energy in the micro-grid system.

Several years ago, I was transferred internally to develop the MENA market and hope my expertise in both solar and storage will help contribute to this vibrant solar hub.

July - Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 33

When energy is coming right from the

SUN EARTH?

then why are we digging the

Middle East

July- Aug Issue 2021 | Pg 34

Empowering High Growth.

launched new exclusive publication for Energy Storage Industry

For Advertising Opportunities, Contact: Smriti Singh, Mob: +91 7718877514, Email: smriti@firstviewgroup.com For Editorial Participation, Contact: Sangita Shetty, Mob: +91 88505 69133, Email: editorial@firstviewgroup.com

LAUNCHED NEW EXCLUSIVE PUBLICATION for ASEAN Solar Industry

EMPOWERING HIGH GROWTH ASEAN MARKET

For Advertising Opportunities, Contact: Smriti Singh, M: +91 7718877514, e: smriti@firstviewgroup.com

For Editorial Participation, Contact: Sangita Shetty, M: +91 88505 69133, e: editorial@firstviewgroup.com