INSIGHTS | OCTOBER 2017
INSIGHTS OCTOBER 2017
PICTURES OF THE MONTH
MESIA presented two successful panels discussion during Intersolar Middle East ( see pictures )
UAE: Policy Update moderated by Gurmeet Kaur, MESIA Communication Director with (from left to right):
  • Armando Dominioni, DEWA
  • Christos Mimikopoulos, Etihad Esco
  • Davis Auriau, Siraj Power
  • Carlos Amaya, QCC Abu Dhabi
UAE: Bridge to Africa moderated by Karel De Winter, MESIA International Development Director with (from left to right):
  • Laurent Longuet, AKUO Energy
  • Vahid Fotuhi, Access-Power
  • Adrian Creed, Bracewell
  • Vikas Bansal, Sterling & Wilson
  • Lee Bremer, Yellow Door Energy
MIDDLE EAST SOLAR NEWS
DUBAI: AWARDS $3.9 BILLION CONTRACT TO BUILD CSP POWER PLANT

16 SEPTEMBER
DEWA has achieved another world record by awarding the 700MW AED14.2 billion fourth phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park. This is the largest single-site Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) project in the world, based on the Independent Power Producer (IPP) model. The contract is awarded to a consortium comprising Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and China’s Shanghai Electric.
JORDAN: ISSUES RULES FOR SMALL-SCALE SOLAR ENERGY GENERATION

18 SEPTEMBER
Continuing to support Jordan’s solar programme, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is extending a US$ 65 million loan to fund a 51 MW solar plant located in the Al-Safawi area of northern Jordan. Read more .

BAHRAIN: TO DEVELOP 100MW SOLAR POWER PLANT
20 SEPTEMBER
The announcement of the power plant is in line with Bahrain’s National Energy Efficiency Plan and the National Renewable Energy Plan, which was introduced by the government in 2016. The plans specify a goal of having 5% of the country’s electricity consumption to come from renewable energy and resources. Read more.
EGYPT:  AFRICA50 JOINS 400-MWP PV PROJECT 
 
20 SEPTEMBER
Africa50, established by the African Development Bank (AfDB), will invest USD 8 million (EUR 6.7m) in the development of the project, which will end when financial close is reached, expected at the end of October. Further equity investment to fund construction is envisaged. Read more.
MESIA EVENT
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA:  RENEWABLE ENERGY TRADE MISSON
 
3-4 OCTOBER 2017
SHERATON, RIYADH

The results of the Sakaka tender will be unveiled by REPDO
on the same day as the launch of the MESIA Trade Mission!

This will be a great opportunity to bring together those engaged in the bids and the wider market opportunity including key global participants and investors, local and international developers, EPC contactors, engineering services providers, manufacturers, banking and private equity entities. 

The objective of the Trade Mission is to further support and enhance the renewable energy opportunity in the Kingdom promoted by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and to consider this in the context of the wider energy transformation including distributed energy, the growth of the private PPA market, the impact of storage solutions and the integration with energy efficiency. Read more.
UPCOMING INDUSTRY MIDDLE EAST EVENTS
ELECTRO OMAN
Date : 9 - 11 October 2017
Location : Oman Convention & Exhibition Center

Electro Oman – Oman’s leading exhibition in Power, Electricity and Lighting is dedicated solely to energy and clearly partitioned to cover all aspects of the sector, including electricity, water, lighting and HVAC, with a special emphasis on sustainable solutions and renewable energies. Read more.
WETEX - Dubai Solar Show
Date : 23-25 October, 2017
Location : DWTC

Dubai Solar Show is an important B2B platform for the public & private sectors to make deals, build partnerships, review the latest solar-energy technologies, learn about current and future projects in the region opportunities to take part in solar-energy projects and programmes.
2017 INTERNATIONAL PV SOILING WORKSHOP
Date:  23-25 October 23 2017
Location:  DWTC

Technical presentations and poster sessions covering: PV Field Performance, Dust Characterization, Soil Adhesion, Standardization, Surface Coatings, Automated Cleaning and Soiling Mitigation, Soiling Loss Measurements, PV Soiling Loss Modeling More than 40 presentations with speakers from industry, test laboratories, academia, and research institute.  Read more .
ISES 2017
Date:  28 October - 2 November 2017
Location:  Jumeirah Hotel at Etihad Tower, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
15% off for MESIA members

For the first time, the ISES Solar World Congress will be held together with the IEA Solar Heating and Cooling Programme’s SHC2017 conference. The joint event will be hosted by Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Read more .
UTILITY SCALE SOLAR SUMMIT
Date:  14-15 November 2017
Location:  Beirut, Lebanon

The strategic programme will be led by utility solar companies from the region, international EPCs, O&Ms from the international community. Experts showcasing their products will experience tailored sessions that focus on business development and knowledge sharing of the latest industry trends. Read more .
THE BIG 5 SOLAR
Date:  26-29 November 2017
Location:  Zabeel Hall 6, DWTC
 
Previous solar events have attracted 4000+ key buyers from 65+ countries, offered CPD workshops, and The Global Solar Leaders Summit. Now running alongside the largest construction event in the region, that saw 78,869 participants in 2016. Read more .
AN EYE ON AFRICA
POWERING AFRICA – NIGERIA
Date : 4-6 October 2017
Location : Abuja, Nigeria
15% off for MESIA members

This is a premium private sector-led and finance focused summit on investment strategies, bringing together Nigeria’s electricity supply industry, local finance institutions, IPP and NIPP investors, power developers and international financiers to release capital in Nigeria’s transforming power sector.

FUTURE ENERGY NIGERIA
Date: 7-8 November 2017
Location : Eko Hotel & Suits, Lagos
10% off for MESIA members (delegate or exhibitor)

This energy conference and expo addressing the Nigerian power crisis through industry connectivity and creative solutions. After 14 years of successfully driving new and existing industry relationships across the region, WAPIC has established its base in Nigeria to support the privatisation of the Nigerian power space.
WHO'S WHO


 JARMO SKARP

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
GREENENERGY FINLAND

What are you doing?
I work as a Business Development Director. My main tasks are to find and open new markets as well as follow the development of PV manufacturing technology and applications.

How did you start your journey in the solar industry?
I jointed in a research company called Microchemistry Ltd. in 1989 and started an r&d project on CdTe thin film PV cells. The manufacturing technology was ALD. Very soon this r&d project became part of Europen PV research programs and its application scope got wider including also other thin film PV cells like CIGS.
After several companies and different PV related jobs I found myself in developing and marketing a manufacturing ALD-Al2O3 for PERC solar cells (2006). And finally I joint GEF in 2014.

What is your most memorable moment in Solar?
There are several peaks in my carrier in PV: one was when we measured 14,5% cell efficiency of CdTe ( the world record at that time). Another one was when I realize that ALD-Al2O3 could be used in PERC cells (which today is business-as-usual in 300+ Wp 60 cells modules). The last but not least is the
continuing penetration of PV in new markets with very competitive price!

SHARE YOUR SUCCESS
SIRAJPOWER (MESIA MEMBER) AND DUBAI AUTODROME PARTNER ON SOLAR POWER INITIATIVE  

The agreement aims to develop the popular motorsport

venue into an energy-sustainable facility by outfitting the expansive rooftops at Dubai Autodrome with state-of-the-art solarpanels. Once installed, the 3 megawatt project will provide the facility’s annual energy requirements. Read more .
DUPONT PHOTOVOLTAIC (MESIA MEMBER) TO COLLABORATE WITH DESERT TECHNOLOGIES 

According to the company, the agreement contemplates that Desert Technologies will evaluate and use Dupont Tedlar polyvinyl fluoride-based backsheets in solar panels and projects and also undertake evaluations of PV cells that are manufactured with Dupont Solamet metallization pastes. Read more .
INGETEAM (MESIA MEMBER) TO SUPPLY 1.17 GW OF INVERTERS TO THE "SWEIHAN" PV PROJECT IN AD

Ingeteam Power Technology has been awarded the supply contract for the world’s largest photovoltaic plant, being built by Sterling and Wilson, one of the leading global solar EPC companies. Read more .
NEW CORPORATE MEMBERS
DUPONT
DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions
DuPont Photovoltaic Solutions stands alone as the industry leader, and our long-standing commitment to continuous innovation has transformed solar into a viable commercial energy source for the new energy economy. Our materials have been repeatedly verified by field-testing to perform over time – which means reliable investment returns and a supply of clean energy the world can count on into the future.
Visit their  website
GILCO CONTRACTING AND BUILDING WORKS 
GILCO Contracting & Building Works L.L.C. was founded in 2006 in Dubai/UAE. GILCO is implementing projects in several fields in the UAE such as on-grid and off- grid solar systems, solar air conditioner systems, solar lighting systems (indoor and outdoor). Visit their   website
MITCON CONSULTANCY & ENGINEERING
MITCON is headquartered at Pune (India) and have presence across the country through our offices at Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Bangalore and Nagpur which are equipped with high speed communication network with state of the art infrastructure.  Visit their  website
SOLAR ONE
Solar One is Bahrain’s first and only PV module manufacturer. With an installed annual capacity of 20 MW, Solar One is here to supply the local and international market with the best quality modules at competitive prices. In addition to manufacturing, Solar One has a dedicated project implementation team that covers installations from the beginning site visits to system design, installation and commissioning. Visit their  website
WITILITY
The company provides turnkey alternative energy solutions with full support across the project chain, from engineering, implementation, to operations and maintenance. The aim is to empower energy consumers, from personal to sovereign, through providing an alternative to current energy solutions, that is easily installable and maintained, and cost efficient.
Visit thei website
KEEP IN TOUCH
CONTACT US
If you have a question or would like to speak to us about a project, please contact the relevant board member below. For urgent queries please contact  micheline@mesia.com   

Chairman - Abdul Aziz Al Midfa  chairman@mesia.com
President - Ahmed Nada ahmed@mesia.com
Vice-President, James Stewart  james@mesia.com 
Secretary General - Wim Alen  wim@mesia.com 
Treasurer - Mohammed Atif    mohammed@mesia.com 
Marketing Director - Gurmeet Kaur   gurmeet@mesia.com  
Membership Director - Simon Stevens simon@mesia.com  
Legal Director - Derek Kirton  derek@mesia.com  
Research Director - Waseem waseem@mesia.com  
International Development Director - Karel De Winter  karel@mesia.com