Middle East

Solar-linked projects will be developed by domestic firm Augwind and will feature underground storage tanks. One of the systems will be built by French energy giant EDF and will feature a 20 MWh compressed air storage system and 5 MW solar array.

Scientists from Israel and France have proposed a PV-plus-thermal-storage (PV-TS) concept that may be applied in regions with low direct solar beam radiation and high levels of global solar radiation. They estimated that the grid penetration rate of a large scale PV plant, when combined with molten salt storage, may rise from around 30% to up to 95%.

Sumitomo has signed a contract with an EPC for a PV-powered green hydrogen plant in Queensland, and has also started a feasibility study for a gray-green hybrid hydrogen project in Oman.

The tender was launched by the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Interested developers will have time until February 15 to submit their offers.

Researchers in the Middle East have proposed a new passive technology to cool off solar modules, based on highly conductive porous materials.

Falling module prices will help PV post another record year after an estimated 132 GW was installed worldwide in 2020, according to an energy transition investment trends report published by Bloomberg New Energy Finance.

The private-sector arm of the World Bank, which claims to leverage $3 of its own capital and $8 from third parties for every dollar invested in its blended finance funds, has attempted to quantify what devoting Covid recovery funds to green investment would mean for emerging economies.

In September 2020, Stantec Turkey launched a market assessment report for the Turkish solar PV panel manufacturing sector. The English version of the “Market Report for Turkey’s Photovoltaic Panel Manufacturing” followed in November. The report, based on collected data from local manufacturers, depicts the history of the market since its inception in 2011 and provides unique insights into its development and future potential.

A press release issued by utility DEWA and the state-owned metal manufacturer today implied production of solar-powered aluminum is already taking place.

According to official statistics from grid operator TEIAS, the country’s cumulative PV capacity reached 6.66 GW at the end of December.