meeco promotes energy rethinking on the Arabic peninsula
Saudi Arabia and the UAE are best known for their deserts, oil and wealth. Both also offer perfect conditions for solar energy projects, which, however, underperform compared to their given potential in terms of installed capacity. Oil and Gas are still energy suppliers number one. But there is a change in mind: Since the beginning of 2019, both countries have had a fundamental rethink and are now eager to improve their generation of renewable energy. The meeco Group through its local joint venture oursun Saudi Arabia accompanies this development by realising clean energy projects with sustainable solutions.
Recently, several newspapers and online magazines reported about ambitious targets both countries intend to follow up in the near future. The Renewable Energy Project Development Office in Saudi Arabia expects to allocate 2.2 GW of solar capacity this year. By 2030, the National Renewable Energy Program plans to install an overall of 58.7 GW of renewable energy in the country. These targets are part of the National Transformation 2020 Programme and the KSA Vision 2030. A first step will be the installation of a giant 2.6 GW clean energy project in the Makkah Region.
Besides the planning and commissioning of such utility-scale projects, smaller decentralised clean energy solutions, designed and tailored to suit individual needs, play an important and fundamental role. Together with our local partner Energy Systems in KSA, we developed and installed various residential and commercial sun2roof solar solutions. With an initial capacity of 146.6 kWp the meeco sun2roof systems will generate 250 MWh annually, while saving more than 142 tons of polluting CO2 emissions. The expectation is to triple this capacity within the following two quarters of 2019.
The countries offer perfect conditions like a high solar radiation and large desert areas for renewable energies.
The UAE follows the same path as Saudi Arabia. Particularly, the desert areas offer a lot of space for renewable energy projects. Being known for superlatives, Dubai, on behalf of its Energy and Water Authority, is installing a record-breaking 5,000 MWp solar park, which will be one of the largest renewable energy projects worldwide. The Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park will cover 77 square kilometres and will be able to power 1.3 million homes. The utility will reduce polluting CO2 emissions by 6.5 million tons a year. In April 2019, the fourth and last construction phase has started. meeco already operates for nearly a decade several commercial sun2roof solar power plants in places such as Oasis Water. More projects are being in the process of execution with a local partner to power workshops for his taxi business.
Both countries are definitely moving in the renewable direction and we are proud to promote ambitious climate targets with our clean energy solutions and projects.
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