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SASIA in the News:
News, job postings, upcoming events, solar reports and more. |
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ESIA in the News:
 News, job postings, upcoming events, solar reports and more.
- ESIA Inaugural Solar Awards 2012, and call for nominations. Submit Your Nominations!
This inaugural awards ceremony is organised in partnership with Green Power Conferences. It will take place in Dubai on November 6, 2012 in conjunction with the Arab Renewable Energy Congress.
As one of our valued members, you have the opportunity to put forth nominations for all 10 awards categories. Please keep in mind the following guidelines:
- Nominees should be selected based on their contributions to the Middle East solar market
- A candidate can be nominated for more than one category
- You are allowed to nominate yourself or your company
- To nominate someone you only need to list their name and company affiliation
- Nominations must be received by Tuesday 31 July at 5pm UAE time
- Only paid-up members are eligible to nominate candidates
- The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy is in the process of launching the Emirates Energy Award intended to recognize the best implemented practices in energy management that showcase innovative, cost effective and exemplary measures. The award will be organized every two years commencing from 2012
- MEED MENA Renewable Energy conference, taking place from 17 - 19 September at the Grosvenor House Hotel in Dubai.
 For more information contact:
Sarah Fitzgerald
sarah@emiratessolar.com
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Solar Energy News Summary:
Top Stories
* Saudi Arabia: NYTimes: In the Land of Oil, Fears of Excess Use. Saudi Arabia's oil use has nearly doubled over the last decade to 2.9 million barrels per day, about a third of what it usually produces.
Saudi oil consumption cannot go on growing this way, a few Cassandras are warning. "It's not sustainable because domestic consumption is growing at an alarming rate. It is going to eventually eat into exports," said Paul Stevens, an energy expert at Chatham House, a research institute in London.
* Saudi Arabia: US-based SolarReserve gets set for Saudi tender. SolarReserve LLC, a US maker of solar technology, plans multiple bids for Saudi Arabia's first renewable-energy tender as the country plans to generate a third of its electricity from solar by 2032, Saudi Gazette reports SolarReserve has formed a joint venture in Saudi Arabia and is working on preliminary proposals for the tender, CEO Kevin Smith said. * Saudi Arabia: Solar markets in the Gulf Region: "All roads lead to Riyadh". Saudi Arabia has just revealed its ambitious solar plan, foreseeing 41 GW of installed capacity in 2032. With this plan, is the Kingdom jumping to the top of solar markets in MENA? This is a huge initiative. It catapults Saudi Arabia into the pole position in terms of attracting investments in the solar sector. Everyone knew that the potential was there. Now Saudi Arabia has come out and communicated exactly how it will give life to that potential. The country's solar industry is poised to become several times larger than all the other MENA solar markets put together. Essentially, all roads lead to Riyadh.
* UAE: July 2012 issue Masdar Times - UAE has its say at Rio+20. Front row seat for Masdar and UAE delegation at the negotiating table as UN Conference on Sustainable Development looks to set sustainable goals
* Qatar - Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) and utilities company Kahramaa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding towards the distribution of solar energy in Qatar. Dr Khalid Klefeekh Al Hajri, chairman and CEO of QSTec said, "Solar energy is definitely emerging in Qatar and is the key to providing a sustainable alternative source of energy whilst conserving and protecting the country's natural resources for the future. "QSTec's collaboration with Qatar Electricity & Water Company (QEWC) and now Kahramaa brings us full circle in solar energy; from the manufacturing of solar technologies and applications, to everyone in Qatar receiving energy from the sun directly into their homes," Dr Al Hajri added.The Qatar National Food Securities Program is looking at using solar to power its desalination plants, the 2022 World Cup will be the first carbon neutral World Cup and will be utilizing solar energy for its air conditioned solar stadiums and fan zones. QSTec's parent organisation, Qatar Foundation, has several projects such as the Qatar National Convention Centre, the new student housing complex and the Msheireb Properties development that will derive a percentage of their electricity needs using solar energy.
Jericho's solar power station will be connected to the Palestinian Jerusalem Electricity Company for a week's pilot testing, the head of the energy authority said Saturday. Omar Katana said the plant will provide Palestine 300 kilowatts of energy per day to power the city of Jericho through the electricity company. The first solar power station of its kind in the West Bank, Jericho's solar energy station was built with funding assistance from the Japanese government.
* MENA: Solar Potential in The Middle East and North Africa. The nations at the nexus of the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, along with those along the strip of land between the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean, have long been pivotal for global energy development. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is also blessed with a quantity of annual sunlight which until recently has been more of a liability than an asset, as large areas of the region's land is too dry for agriculture. However, all of that is changing. Direct radiation exceeding 6 kWh/m2 per day in many regions makes for awesome solar potential. Recent decreases in the price of solar technologies coupled with rising electricity demand in these growing nations, if coupled with the right policies, could make the region a hub for solar expansion. * Morocco: Saudi group close to winning $500m solar contract - CW Staff on Jul 17, 2012.
A consortium led by Saudi International Company for Water and Power (Acwa) is close to winning a contract worth at least $500m to build a new 160MW concentrated solar power (CSP) plant located in the south of Morocco. Acwa has teamed up with Spanish engineering firm Aries IS and TSK EE to design, finance, construct, operate and maintain the plant near the southern city of Ouarzazate.
* Jordan: Chinese firm plans US$200 million solar project in Jordan. Chinese solar energy firm Trina Solar has unveiled plans to build a US$200 million solar power project in Jordan
The firm, which specialises in photovoltaic technology, is currently in negotiations with the Ministry of Energy over the project, which would be one of the first commercial solar energy initiatives in Jordan. The company is the latest international firm to express an interest in the kingdom's renewable energy sector since the passage of the country's Renewable Energy Law.
The legislation, drafted in 2009 and passed by Parliament in May this year, has enabled the energy ministry to enter into direct negotiations with firms and provide tax incentives for alternative energy projects.
* Tunisia - Tunisia considers its role in Desertec. According to a major new study conducted by the German consortium Desertec Industrial Initiative (Dii), Tunisia could play a central role in the distribution of energy throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe - with potentially massive gains to the country's economy. In fact, some of the recommendations of the study have already begun to be implemented in Tunisia. Nur Energy, a collaboration between the British solar plant developer NurEnergie and Tunisian investors, recently held a conference in Tunis announcing the commencement of construction on the world's biggest solar energy export project. * Global - Global installed PV capacity to hit 230 GW; consolidation will continue.
Of all the available solar technologies, photovoltaics is expected to scale up the fastest.
According to the International Energy Agency's (IEA's) latest renewable energy market trends and projections to 2017, the photovoltaics industry is expected to enjoy strong growth. It forecasts that cumulative, grid-connected capacity will grow from 70 GW in 2011, to 91 GW in 2012, 115 GW in 2013, 140 GW in 2014, 167 GW in 2015, 197 GW in 2016 and 230 GW in 2017. It adds that as capacity increases, photovoltaic generation should reach an average of 35 terawatt-hours (TWh) per year.
Research - $2 million grant awarded to develop PV-integrated storage solutions. Satcon Technology Corporation, A123 Systems, Renewable Energy Services, and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) have been awarded US$2 million by the California Energy Commission to work on the development of storage technologies that will help reduce renewable energy power intermittency.
Dubai: Dewa invites bids for power plant - July 31, 2012 deadline -
Dewa invites bids for power plant EPC contracting bids invited for its 10MW photovoltaic power plant. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has formally announced the commencement of a competitive process to select an EPC contractor or EPC consortium to participate in the 10 MW solar photovoltaic power project. The project will be handled by Dewa on behalf of the six entities of the Dubai supreme Council of Energy (DSCE).
Solar Technology Focus - UCLA develops transparent solar cell -
23. JULY 201 , Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, have developed a highly transparent solar cell for building integration. This new polymer solar cell or PSC, produces energy by absorbing infrared light and not visible. The cells are thus nearly 70 percent transparent to the human eye. Made of photoactive plastic, the cells are seen as highly viable solutions for building integrated solar installations.
Solar Investing - Global solar investment strong, says BNEF, Investment in the solar industry continues to grow, despite continued economic pressure. Publishing its latest findings, BNEF said that of the US$59.6 billion invested in the global clean energy sector in the second quarter (Q2) of 2012, solar accounted for $33.6 billion. Meanwhile, the importance of small-scale projects is said to be increasing. The importance of small-scale photovoltaic projects, particularly in the rooftop sector, is said to be increasing. Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) report.
Solar Education - Is CSP still on track? - Is the demise of CSP imminent or is it just a sleeping giant waiting to be revived with new technologies and lower costs? Joyce Laird continues her exploration of the technology... The US Department of Energy (DoE) recently announced a US$20 million CSP-specific solicitation. "The US DoE SunShot programme embraces PV and CSP with equal intensity," Ramamoorthy Ramesh, Director of the SunShot Initiative, says. "Looking at today's cost structure, they are basically the same at approximately US$0.15-0.18/kWh. There is no reason why going from a photon to an electron is any different than photon to thermal energy."
CPV Webinar - PV Insider is the reference point for Solar PV professionals and a cornerstone for communications within the industry.
Upcoming Solar Energy Events, Exhibitions & Conferences -
2012 Calendar:
August 21-23 4th PV Guangzhou 2012, Guangzhou, China
September 3-4 PV Development Summit South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa
September 10 PV Technology Conference North Africa 2012, Casablanca, Morocco
September 10-13 Solar Power International, Orlando, Florida, USA
September 16-17 2012 Annual Solar Arabia Summit , Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
September 17-19 MEED Middle East Renewables, Dubai, UAE
September 17-19 2012 MENA Solar Power Forum, Abu Dhabi, UAE September 19-21 PPA RSA , Johannesburg, South Africa
September 26-28 2012 Arab Water & Power Forum (AWPF), Dubai, UAE
September 26-28 World Clean Technology Summit (WCTS) - Kampala, Uganda
October 22-24 APVIA 2012 - PV Asia Pacific Expo , Singapore
October 30-31 Power, Infrastructure Finance & Investment MENA, Abu Dhabi
November 5-8 The Big 5 MIddle East, Dubai, UAE
November 6-7 Arab Renewable Energy Congress, Dubai, UAE
November 13-14 Solar Industry Summit - Middle East 2012, Dubai, UAE
November 14-16 EnerSol - WSEF 2012 ,Tunis , Tunisia
November 26 - December 7 Qatar COP 18 , Doha, Qatar
December 1-4 SolarTec 2012 Cairo, Egypt
December 2-4 Saudi Water & Power Forum, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
December 8-11 Saudi Arabia Smart Grid Conference & Exhibition
2013 Calendar:
January 15-17 World Future Energy Summit, Abu Dhabi, UAE
February 4-6 2013 Power-Gen Middle East, Doha, Qatar
February 17-19 2013 Solar MIddle East, Dubai , UAE
September 3-5 GulfSol 2013, Dubai , UAE
The program will offer relevant and applicable talks on current pressing issues facing the solar sector, covering technology presentations on PV and CPV and overview presentations on main solar markets in the region, their growth potential and business models. Networking opportunities will be many during networking breaks and the Delegates' Dinner on November 14. Send in your proposal and become an active part of the conference. Solarpraxis warmly invites you to submit a paper until July 31st. Selection criteria are relevance of the topic to the Middle East-market, neutrality of the presentation and how current the topic is. The presenters will address the following target groups: regional and international project developers, suppliers and manufacturers, governmental bodies, investors, banks, press, consultants and researchers. Deadlines
Submission of abstracts: 31 July 2012
Notification of acceptance or refusal: 31 August 2012
Submission of Powerpoint documents: 31 October 2012
Solarpraxis offers free admission for the presenter.
If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact Severine Scala on telephone: +49 (0) 30/72 62 96-326 or email: Severine.Scala@solarpraxis.de.
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MENA Solar Brief
Editor: Browning Rockwell
Email: browningr@horizoninc.com
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