News - MENA

		Kuwait’s CSP projects
		2013/05/23 Three major concentrating solar power (CSP) projects in the oil-rich nation of Kuwait will take advantage of the sun, bringing them off the drawing boards and into reality.

		Oman: PAEW identifies 4 locations for big solar power projects
		2013/05/23 The Authority had commissioned a study on suitable alternative energy resources and to set up renewable energy projects in the sultanate.

		Petroleum Development Oman and GlassPoint Commission the Middle East’s First Solar EOR Project
		2013/05/21 Enclosed Trough system uses the sun’s energy to produce steam for thermal EOR; exceeded contracted performance by 10 percent in first test.

		Climate Investment Funds Give North Africa and Middle East Green Light for Revised Regional Solar Plan
		2013/05/16 The plan will receive US $660 million from the CIF's Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and is expected to leverage nearly US $5 billion from other donors and private financing.

		Construction begins on 160 MW Concentrating Solar Power plant in Morocco
		2013/05/14 Construction on Morocco’s 160 MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant in Ouarzazate began on Friday with a symbolic groundbreaking ceremony by King Mohammed VI.

		Should CSP stand with or against other renewables in MENA?
		2013/04/30 The industry is now assessing whether the technology is in competition with other renewable sources or should be working with them towards the common goal.

		Middle East Emerging As Solar Energy Investment Hub
		2013/04/29 Middle East countries, due to their arid climatic conditions, enjoy a great deal of sunlight throughout the year.

		Oman: Prospects bright for solar power
		2013/04/28 Oman could more than meet its present electricity needs by deploying concentrated solar power (CSP) technology over an area equivalent to just one tenth of its land mass.

		The Shams 1 Solar Energy Center
		2013/04/26 These 258,000 mirrors comprise the core of the largest operational concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in the world, providing heat for 100 MW of solar generation, coupled with 50 MW of natural gas generation.

		Developing a CSP strategy for the Middle East and North Africa
		2013/04/22 For the concentrated solar power industry, the MENA region represents a key pocket of opportunity. But understanding and explaining the CSP proposition is also a challenge that needs to be tackled.

		New technology opens Europe up to Middle East concentrating solar power
		2013/04/19 The world’s largest concentrated solar power plant opened in March in the middle of Abu Dhabi’s western region, amid the country’s giant oil fields.

		Saudi Arabia hopes to export solar electricity to Europe
		2013/04/14 Saudi Arabia hopes to export solar electricity to Europe in winter, when cooler temperatures reduce the need for air conditioning in the kingdom.

		Concentrated solar thermal powers oil-rich Gulf emirate
		2013/04/12 The world's biggest thermal solar power plant has gone online in oil-rich Abu Dhabi. Shams 1 is the first plant of its kind in a desert region, providing power for thousands of homes.

		Saudi Arabia’s solar power procurement white paper
		2013/04/11 The procurement program will include both PV and CSP technologies.

		Prospects bright for solar power in Oman
		2013/04/11 Oman is well placed to harness the sun’s power, having what is thought to be one of the highest solar energy densities in the world.

		North African and Middle East Countries Poised to Upgrade Concentrated Solar Power Use with AfDB, World Bank, and CIF Support
		2013/04/11 The workshop presented an important opportunity for the five countries to discuss ways to deepen their effective use of CSP as a means to transform their national and regional energy paths.

		MAN steam turbine generates electricity in the world’s largest concentrating solar thermal power plant
		2013/04/11 The 100-megawatt solar thermal power plant, "Shams 1", was officially launched in Abu Dhabi last week.

		Shams 1 CSP features a dry-cooling system that significantly reduces water consumption
		2013/04/07 Shams 1 Concentrating Solar Power features a dry-cooling system that significantly reduces water consumption - a critical advantage in the arid desert.

		Kuwait drafting renewable energy plan for 2030
		2013/04/02 The Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR) has confirmed that a strategy to utilise renewables is underway, with solar on the agenda.

		Renewable Agency applauds hails UAE concentrated solar power launch
		2013/03/31 The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) has welcomed the activation of the world’s largest operational Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) facility to date.