UAE 3rd in the world for total solar power capacity & investment

[Al Bhatti]

June 4, 2014

UAE ranks third in the world for total solar power capacity and investment, says report

Masdar City’s Shams 1 has helped to lift the UAE to third among the world’s nations in Concentrated Solar Power investment and capacity, a report says.

The UAE now ranks behind only Spain and the US in CSP generation.

The rankings were recently unveiled in a report by Ren21, a policy network that promotes rapid global transition to renewable energy.

“We’re pleased to see how high the UAE ranks worldwide in renewable energy generation, given the country’s commitment to sourcing more sources of secure and safe energy,” Yousif Al Ali, general manager of Shams 1 Power, told the state news agency Wam.

“Since its launch, Shams 1 has been generating enough power to electrify 20,000 homes in the UAE and displaces 175,000 tonnes of carbon annually.”

The Ren21 report shows how the UAE’s investment in CSP technology has strengthening its position as a responsible global energy leader.

It said the 100-megawatt Shams 1 plant in the Western Region is a reason growth of CPS in emerging markets almost tripled last year.

Although Spain and the US are still by far the market leaders in CSP, investment in the technology is growing most rapidly in regions that receive high amounts of daily sunshine.

Global CSP capacity has increased tenfold since 2004, and last year surged 36 per cent to a total of 3.4 gigawatts generated.

The US$600 million (Dh2.2 billion) Shams 1 plant, the Middle East’s largest renewable energy project, opened in March last year as a partnership between Masdar, Total and Abengoa.

UAE ranks third in the world for total solar power capacity and investment, says report | The National
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[Al Bhatti]

January 21, 2015

Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer

Dubai triples renewable energy target to 15% by 2030
Emirate negates speculation on renewables’ negative growth due to oil price fall

Dubai has tripled its target to increase the share of renewables to 15 per cent in its energy mix by 2030, a senior official announced here on Wednesday. The emirate has increased its 2020 target also by seven times to 7 per cent, apparently due to falling costs of solar energy, according to Saeed Mohammad Al Tayer, managing director and chief executive officer of Dewa (Dubai Water and Electricity Authority).

The announcement gains relevance as it negates the speculation that falling oil prices in the international market will affect the growth of the renewable energy sector.

Dubai’s Integrated Energy Strategy 2030 had earlier set targets for renewable energy (mainly solar) to supply one per cent of energy mix and five per cent by 2030.

Al Tayer announced the higher targets for renewables during a panel discussion at the World Future Energy Summit 2015 on Wednesday.

He also announced that Dewa will release a bid for 500MW photovoltaic (PV) project in 2016 in the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.

Investments in Dubai’s energy sector are expected to surpass Dh56 billion over the next five years to meet Dubai’s growing demand on water and power. This will boost the green economy and create a competitive advantage for the UAE in clean energy technology and energy efficiency, Al Tayer said.

The higher targets for renewables follows Dewa’s announcement to double the capacity of the phase two of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park from 100 to 200MW. It is one of the biggest strategic new Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects in the renewable energy market worldwide. The consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s ACWA and Spain’s TSK was selected as a Preferred Bidder with the lowest price. Dewa said this reflected the trust and interest of international investors in Dubai and Dewa, its transparency in all its projects and its strong financial position.

ACWA and TSK consortium was selected based on alternative proposal for 200MW with LCOE of 5.84869 USD cents/kWh.

“Dewa managed to get the lowest price thanks to the global trust it enjoys and the encouraging regulations that protect the rights of all parties, Al Tayer said.

Drop in costs

“Dewa works to achieve the strategy of the Supreme Council of Energy in Dubai to diversify the energy mix and reduce consumption by 30 per cent by 2030 and we are on track to surpass the previous targets. The UAE, represented by Dewa, has been ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa and fourth globally, for the second consecutive year, in getting electricity as per the World Bank’s Doing Business Report. Dewa has a 90 per cent fuel consumption efficiency rate,” Al Tayer said.

Highlighting the significant fall in renewable energy costs in recent years, Al Tayer said the prices of PV (photovoltaic) panels have dropped by 60 per cent since 2011.

Dewa’s smart grid initiative with Dh7 billion investments the Smart Dubai initiative along with Dewa’s smart initiatives of producing solar electricity in buildings and homes and connecting them to the grid, and building the infrastructure for electric car charging stations. He noted that renewable energy resources create more jobs in the UAE.

Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, Secretary General of the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi, and Mohammad Al Ramahi, Chief Operating Officer of Masdar, also participated in the discussion panel, which was attended by Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of state and CEO of Masdar.

Dubai triples renewable energy target to 15% by 2030 | GulfNews.com

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[Al Bhatti]

February 01, 2015

Saudi's Acwa bidding for over Dh18bn power projects
Chairman says group bidding for projects in Oman, Jordan

Dewa earlier this month awarded a Dh1.2bn contact to a consortium led by Acwa Power.

Saudi Arabia’s power generation firm Acwa Power, which recently won a solar power project in Dubai, is bidding for 3-4 projects worth more than $5 billion (Dh18.35bn), reflecting good growth in renewable energy sector in the region, said a senior official.

Mohammad A. Abunayyan, Chairman of Acwa Power, said the group is bidding for projects in Oman, Jordan and other regional countries.

“We are bidding for a couple of projects in Oman, Jordan and other countries. We are bidding for 3-4 solar and conventional power projects project worth more than $5 billion,” Abunayyan told Emirates 24l7 in a recent interview.

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) earlier this month awarded a Dh1.2bn contact to a consortium led by Acwa Power and Spain’s TSK to develop 200MW solar power plant in Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park.

Led by the Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Middle Eastern countries have been investing billions of dollars in cost-efficient renewable energy projects. Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa), recently said that the emirate has tripled its target to 15 per cent for the renewable energy by 2030 and seven per cent by 2020.

Acwa Power is currently producing 15,000 megawatts of electricity and 2.5m cubic meter desalinated water in different parts of the region.

Hoping to bag some more big contracts in coming years, Abunayyan expects group to expand its operations.

“We are going to increase power generation capacity to 20,000MW by the year 2020 through both solar and conventional power projects,” Acwa Power chief said, adding that the company is well-capitalised and cash rich.

The Saudi power major has projects operating or under construction in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, Turkey, Morocco and some African and southeast Asian countries.

Saudi's Acwa bidding for over Dh18bn power projects - Emirates 24/7

 

[Al Bhatti]

February 01, 2015

How Dubai residents can generate own solar power, and profit from it
Dewa releases standards for installing photovoltaic panels to produce electricity from solar power

Dubai residents will be able to soon generate their own power thanks to the latest initiative by utility firm Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa).

The Dubai-based utility yesterday announced that it has released the standards for installing photovoltaic panels to produce electricity from solar power in buildings in Dubai.

This is the first step towards Dewa’s initiative of allowing customers to install the panels to produce electricity from solar power in Dubai.

Once the initiative is implemented, customers will not just be able to produce their own power, but will hopefully be able to sell any surplus power they generate to the utility. “Any surplus of production will be fed into the electricity network,” Dewa says. While customers will be able to generate their own power, any shortfall will still be met by Dewa, the utility firm said.

“The initiative allows customers to install systems to generate electricity using photovoltaic panels. An offset between exported and imported electricity units is conducted and the customer account is settled based on this offset,” it noted.

The step supports the Smart Dubai initiative launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to transform Dubai into the smartest city in the world.

The publishing of the standards make Dubai the first city in the Middle East to put in place a comprehensive framework at legislative level that allows any interested customer to install PV generation systems.

The utility has invited manufactures to submit their eligibility applications.

“We call upon all manufacturers of solar power equipment and tools to register their products as eligible for Dewa so that customers have a reference to start installing the solar systems as soon as possible according to the highest design qualification standards,” said Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dewa.

“Dewa will periodically review the performance of these systems and their compatibility, and improve the process to ensure the solar power technologies are seamlessly integrated with the current power production systems,” he added.

“This project is one of its kind in the region and expected to witness a tremendous response from the residents of the emirate,” the Dewa chief said earlier last year while first announcing the initiative.

How Dubai residents can generate own solar power, and profit from it - Emirates 24/7

 

[Al Bhatti]

February 18, 2015

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan during talks with Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji. Shaikh Abdullah launched the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund in March 2013.

Abdullah inaugurates solar plants in Fiji
Abdullah also holds meetings with Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Fiji

Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, held meetings with senior officials from Fiji and inaugurated a solar power project featuring several solar plants.

Shaikh Abdullah inaugurated a solar photovoltaic micro grid project that provides clean energy to some of Fiji’s outer islands.

Constructed by Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s renewable energy company, the clean energy project is the third financed by the UAE’s $50 million (Dh183.56 million) Pacific Partnership Fund, through the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD). The Fiji project was financed with $5 million from the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund.

“The UAE is committed to demonstrating how renewable energy can provide clean power and spur economic development while mitigating climate change, particularly for Pacific Island countries. We commend Masdar and ADFD on successfully completing solar micro grids that will help Fiji meet its electricity needs in a more sustainable manner,” said Shaikh Abdullah at the inauguration that took place in the town of Nadi, on Fiji’s main island.

Shaikh Abdullah launched the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund in March 2013 to support development renewable energy projects across a number of Pacific islands.

The solar plants together have a capacity of 555 kilowatts (kW) and will provide more than 40 per cent of the daily electricity demand of each of three islands. The energy produced will collectively avoid emitting 722 tonnes of carbon dioxide each year and save 259,000 litres of diesel fuel worth $497,000 annually.

“The UAE and Fiji have a strong bilateral relationship, and we thank the government of the UAE for funding, developing and delivering this important and valuable project. The micro grids will provide electricity for homes as well as help produce clean energy to develop small-scale industries and enterprises on these remote islands,” said Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji, at the inaugural event.

Earlier, Shaikh Abdullah met Bainimarama. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations and joint cooperation in a number of industrial, economic, trade and tourism domains, as well as the issue of joint investment in the renewable energy field.

The meeting also tackled the latest developments in regional and international arenas, as well as a number of issues of mutual concern.

Shaikh Abdullah also met Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, Fijian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. They reviewed bilateral relations of cooperation and friendship, and ways of developing and expanding them, and discussed new horizons for cooperation and joint investment for the benefit of both countries and their peoples.

Shaikh Abdullah also met Sayed Khaiyum, Attorney-General of Fiji, to discuss cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

During the meeting, the Attorney-General expressed his country’s desire to cooperate with the UAE in the economic, security, military, renewable energy and aviation fields, as well as in agricultural and fisheries projects.

Abdullah inaugurates solar plants in Fiji | GulfNews.com

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