Week In Middle East: Swiss International School Dubai Partners With Yellow Door Energy To Install Solar Panels; Kuwait Oil Tanker Company Advances RE Goals With Two Solar Power Projects; And More

Swiss International School Dubai Partners With Yellow Door Energy To Install Solar Panels

Sustainability and environmental awareness run through the airy halls of Swiss International School Dubai, from including sneakers made from recycled plastic on the uniform list to encouraging pupils to consider waste in fashion with competitions like Junk Kouture. Now, the forward-looking bilingual IB school is installing solar panels over the summer break, which will deliver enough energy to meet a quarter of the school’s energy needs. Mindful of the school calendar, UAE-based sustainable energy provider for businesses, Yellow Door Energy, will install 1,366 solar panels, enough to provide shading to 200 parking spots at the school, over the summer break. The installation measures around 3,000 square meters – larger than three tennis courts – and will generate around 1,300 megawatt-hours of clean energy in the first year of operation, offsetting 920 metric tons of carbon emissions.

Kuwait Oil Tanker Company Advances Renewable Energy Goals With Two Solar Power Plant Projects

The Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (KOTC) has announced the commencement of construction on two solar power plants, aligning with the nation’s commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energy. KOTC’s Acting Chief Executive, Sheikh Khaled Al-Sabah, emphasized the environmentally friendly nature of the project during its launch ceremony. The initiative is in line with Kuwait’s national energy transformation strategy, which aims to achieve net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050. With an expected power output of 7 megawatts, equivalent to saving 16,000 barrels of oil annually, the solar plants will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 8,360 tons each year. The electricity generated will be used to supply two liquefied gas bottling plants in Shuaiba and Um Al-Aish.

Kuwait’s EnerTech Awarded Green Hydrogen Block In Oman’s Ambitious Energy Expansion

EnerTech, Kuwait’s state-owned company that specializes in clean energy, has been given one of the initial hydrogen blocks by Hydrom in Oman. As a founding member of the Green Energy Oman (GEO) consortium, EnerTech, along with other partners including OQ, Shell Oman, InterContinental Energy (ICE), and Golden Wellspring Wealth for Trading (GWWT), secured Block Z1-04 in the Dhofar Governate. This block is expected to produce 150,000 metric tons of green hydrogen annually, utilizing 4 gigawatts of renewable energy. The agreement is part of three signed deals for the first green hydrogen blocks in Oman, with a total investment value surpassing $20 billion. These projects aim to deliver over 750,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, supporting Oman’s ambitious goal of achieving 1 million tons per year of green hydrogen production by 2030.

GCCIA Launches Super Grid Project To Connect GCC And Southern Iraq For Enhanced Energy Integration

The Gulf Cooperation Council Interconnection Authority (GCCIA) has initiated the implementation of a groundbreaking project called the super grid, which will connect the GCC with southern Iraq. This ambitious project, scheduled for completion by late 2024, marks the first expansion beyond the electrical grid system of GCC countries. It aims to meet a significant portion of the electricity demand in southern Iraq by supplying 500 megawatts (MW) of power. The project, backed by the Qatar Fund for Development and the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, has received substantial financial support. The construction involves the establishment of a cutting-edge double circuit 400 kV transmission line spanning 295 kilometres, with a transmission capacity of 1,800 MW.

GE Grid Solutions To Supply 380 kV GIS For World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Plant In Saudi Arabia

Grid Solutions, an integral part of the GE Vernova portfolio of energy businesses, was awarded a contract by Larsen & Toubro to supply 380 kV T155 gas-insulated substations (GIS) for the world’s largest utility-scale hydrogen plant to be powered entirely by renewable energy  (producing what is sometimes referred to as green hydrogen). The mega plant will be located in Oxagon, the planned smart city of Neom in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The NEOM Green Hydrogen Company (NGHC) aims to produce carbon-free hydrogen at the plant using solely wind and solar power to produce up to 600 tonnes per day by the end of 2026.

Cliantech Solutions To Build State-Of-The-Art Solar Manufacturing Facility In UAE

Cliantech Solutions and Technologies LLP have successfully obtained a revolutionary turnkey project from Magnus Green Solar, a notable UAE-based company. This transformative project involves the establishment of a cutting-edge solar module manufacturing facility with an initial annual capacity of 600 MW, which will be expanded to an impressive 1.2 GW annually in two phases. This partnership positions Cliantech Solutions as a frontrunner in the industry and represents a significant milestone in their expansion efforts abroad. This significant undertaking involves the creation of a state-of-the-art automatic production line with a capacity of 600 MW, making it the first of its kind in the region.

Driving Energy Transition: COP28 President-Delegate Emphasizes Inclusivity And Ambition At Bonn Conference

COP28 President-Delegate, Dr Sultan Al Jaber, met with heads of delegations and key negotiating groups including those from the Least Developed Countries (LDC) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) at the Bonn UN Climate Change Conference, being held in the run-up to COP28, emphasizing the need to engage and listen to all voices in the climate change discussion ─ especially those of the Global South. The conference, taking place in Bonn, 5-15 June, is hosting discussions on more than 50 agenda items. In framing the meetings in Bonn, Dr Sultan said “We will reach out to engage every community, seek to include the active participation of the under-represented, including young people and indigenous peoples. And we will give the space and enabling environment to discuss, debate and align on every mandate across every climate pillar.”