Global Solar Council Starts Building Partnerships in 2020, Participates in IRENA’s Coalition for Action
The IRENA Assembly and the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi presented an occasion for the Global Solar Council to hold its first board meeting of 2020. The meeting was held to build on the year plan around three main pillars: education for understanding at all levels of government about the right policy support for solar growth, partnerships to replace the barriers that often exist between public institutions and the private sector and innovation through collaboration across clean-tech industries to find synergies and develop circular economy solutions.
Jolywood to Supply Solar Panels for Largest Bifacial Plant in Middle East
Jolywood Sunwatt Co has been named as the exclusive bifacial module supplier for the world’s largest single-unit N-type solar power station in Oman, Middle East. The firm has delivered 105 MWac of solar power to the Marubeni Corporation’s most recent force station utilizing its revolutionary N-type high proficiency bifacial solar cells and modules from June 2019. The power station will be connected with the grid towards the end of January 2020. This is Oman’s first solar photovoltaic project that supersedes the world’s former largest N-type bifacial solar power station at China’s National Power and Flood Control Base with a supply of 100 MWdc of power.
ADFD Allocates $ 105 Million for 8 Renewable Energy Projects Recommended by IRENA in Developing Nations
The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) confirmed the allocation of approximately US$105 million for eight renewable energy projects in developing countries in the seventh cycle of the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility. The announcement marks a record level of funding for any cycle since the facility was launched, and it will provide funding for projects in Antigua and Barbuda, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cuba, the Maldives, Nepal, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The announcement was made during the 10th IRENA Assembly and brings cumulative funding to date to US$350 million, in line with the commitment made by ADFD across seven funding cycles to IRENA recommended projects.
Saudi Arabia Floats 1.2GW Tender for 4 Large-Scale Solar Projects
Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) has opened the request-for-qualification process related to a tender for 1.2 GW of solar generation capacity. REPDO will use the third round of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program to select developers to construct four solar power projects, with generation capacities of 80 MW, 120 MW, 300 MW and a mammoth 700 MW. The Saudi government stated the selected projects must contain at least 17% local content. The deadline to pre-qualify for the tender is February 6. In March, REPDO said the second round of the program – intended to allocate 1.5 GW of large scale solar capacity attracted 250 bidders. In July, the administrative body said the number of bidders had been narrowed down to 60, 28 of which are based in Saudi Arabia. The final results of the exercise are yet to be announced.
Middle East Wakes Up to Make Most of its Solar Resources
With the world shifting towards a more conscious approach to living, Middle Eastern nations that have relied for years on oil exports are seeking green, renewable alternatives. The MENA region is blessed with plenty of sunlight, and instead of wasting that, more and more Arab countries are sensing a change in the air. For example, Egypt has just opened up Benban Solar Park, one of the largest in the world, while the UAE is currently working on Noor Abu Dhabi Power Plant, which will be the largest in the world once it opens. Heliogen, one clean energy company backed by tech tycoon Bill Gates, predicts that in the upcoming 10 years, the solar will be the region’s biggest export.
