The EU has unveiled the largest solar power plant in the Gaza Strip as part of its efforts to provide clean drinking water to the populace in the Palestinian enclave.
The project will generate 0.5 MW of PV power daily for the Southern Gaza Desalination Plant, which provides water for 75,000 people in Gaza’s Khan Younis and Rafah governorates.
The project was installed by Nablus-based Palsolar, part of the Egyptian founded, London-headquartered Mansour Company.
In a press release announcing operation of the project, the EU stated an intent to supply 250,000 people across southern Gaza with water from the plant within 18 months, using the new solar system and further investment.
According to the Palsolar website, the EU project is likely to incorporate Chinese or North American panels from Suntech, Amerisolar, Canadian Solar or Sunpower.
Other projects being pursued under the EU’s Water for Gaza scheme could bring more good news for Palestinian installers, with a 2.8 MW rooftop and 13 MW ground-mount project planned as part of the €456 million ($529 million) Gaza Central Desalination Plant – the Gaza Strip’s largest infrastructure project.
Solar will provide around 12.5% of the energy needs of the project, which will be backed to the tune of €77.1 million by the EU and will provide drinking water for 2 million people.
A separate plan to rehabilitate 46 public and private brackish desalination plants in the occupied territory will include 86 kW of solar, an EU spokesman told pv magazine, with a local installer to be selected after a tendering exercise.
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