SolFocus CPV receivers will catch some rays in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has taken another step toward integrating solar power into its energy mix: Vision Electro Mechanical Co. (Vision) has signed an MoU with California-based SolFocus to build eight solar power stations in the kingdom, starting with a 130-kilowatt solar plant in the Bahra industrial complex near Jeddah, according to ameinfo.com.
Vision, a subsidiary of Jeddah-based Construction Products Holding Company (CPC), was established in August with a mandate to develop, manufacture and operate solar power plants in Saudi Arabia. The solar plant at CPC’s Bahra complex will be the largest in the region to utilize concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) technology for generating electricity. (Two smaller CPV arrays, developed by MST and ZenithSolar, are installed in Israel.)
According to Hassan Chahine, Vision’s CEO: “Vision and SolFocus will install 8 solar power stations in various projects in Saudi Arabia, as well as in the research centers of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and in the new technology cities.”
Chahine added: “The Bahra plant will serve as a model for further research and study to develop peak efficiency under the weather conditions of Saudi Arabia and the Arab region.”
Dr. Faysal Alaquil, CPC’s Director of Business Development, noted: “We accomplished this partnership in line with Saudi Arabia’s efforts to promote investment in renewable energy projects and serve power projects in the Arabian Gulf and the wider Arabian region. Vision aims to be a leading national company exploiting solar power in Saudi Arabia where there is sun exposure for most part of the year, and will efficiently provide an alternative source of clean power to build up sustainable water and power capacity and preserve oil for future generations.”
:: ameinfo.com
Image via venturebeat.com
See related solar stories:
Saudi Arabia’s “Vision Electro” Looks Up to Solar, Not Down to Oil
Saudi Arabia’s First Solar Installation Goes Online
Has Saudi Arabia Seen The Renewable Energy Light?
Author: Ira Moskowitz
When his kids were small, Ira would point to litter on the ground and tell them: “That makes me angry!” He still gets angry about pollution, waste and abusive treatment of our world, but is encouraged by the growing awareness of environmental issues and has been following the latest developments in cleantech with great interest. Ira grew up in the green hills of western Massachusetts and moved to Israel in the early 1980s after completing an MA in Middle Eastern Studies. He has worked as a software developer and journalist, and translates works of Hebrew fiction and non-fiction to English. Ira is trying to age gracefully, but refuses to surrender his youthful belief in the potential for change, including a collaborative future for the peoples of the Middle East. To contact Ira, email ira (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
