Solar Power Solutions in Construction

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Victoria Irma Thomas
6 years ago
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2 Executive Summary Renewable energy solutions are becoming increasingly frequent in new construction projects across the GCC. Renewable energy sources from natural sunlight will economically power new urban community developments. Photovoltaic cells can convert natural sunlight into electricity at the same rate or cheaper than traditional fossil fuel methods, allowing for a wide-scale adoption of solar energy in new developments. Cost advantages are typically realized in large-scale projects where fixed costs can be spread over higher output levels. This report offers an overview of the GCC solar market by looking at some of the critical factors that are strengthening the adoption of solar energy, including clean energy strategies and advancements in solar technology. Highlights from the report are: The GCC governments are investing in solar production capabilities as part of a long-term energy diversification strategy. The growing population in the GCC is driving the demand for energy, which has traditionally been met through locally sourced fossil fuel. Improvements in technology allow for the widespread adoption of solar energy solutions across different sectors. Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power technologies are driving efficiency in energy production and have far-reaching applications in the region. Market Overview The solar energy market is growing due to large-scale project investments supporting a healthy construction pipeline across the GCC. Favorable growth drivers including energy diversification strategies, clean energy construction projects and high consumer demand will continue to support a growing market. Solar energy is becoming a significant source of power in the GCC, with many investments scheduled over the next few years. The GCC accounts for approximately 47% of the total energy generating capacity in the MENA region and an estimated USD 316 billion worth of investments are needed by 2020 to meet growing demand.¹ Much of these investments will be directed at building up power generation capacities from Solar Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power installations, with some of the highest gains in the UAE (10%), Kuwait (10%), and Saudi Arabia (8%).² New projects are expected to come up in the energy storage segment to alleviate possible power grid congestion while diversifying power sources.³ GCC countries are transitioning into low-fossil fuel economies with the adoption of clean energy solutions as policymakers recognize that fossil fuel reserves can run out in the next 50 years. The Saudi government has announced Vision 2030 and the King Salman Renewable Energy Initiative to promote clean energy solutions. Saudi Arabia plans to attract USD 109 billion of investments to build up its solar market which will provide 41 GW of power or a third of the nation s electricity by Similarly, the UAE is expected to invest USD 150 billion in renewable energy projects by 2050 under the UAE Energy Plan 2050, which calls for a 70% reduction in carbon emissions with sizable gains coming from solar production.⁴ Other GCC countries are following 1-5 Media, Masdar Chart 1: GCC Estimated Population Growth and Emission Savings from Renewable Energy Deployment Plans (MTCO2 Metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent) similar sustainability plans, with solar technology driving much of the change. The UAE is delivering exemplary renewable energy solutions through mega-developments such as Masdar City in Abu Dhabi and Sustainable City in Dubai. Masdar City is a six-million square meter mixed-use development which will serve as a global center for clean energy technology.⁵ The city is built out of eco-friendly material and provides energy needs through natural sources such as sunlight for its 50,000 inhabitants.⁶ Similarly, Sustainable City, 2

3 covering 464,500 square meters of land, will produce net-zero-energy, receiving all of its needs from solar-paneled roofs to power 500 townhouses.⁷ Both Abu Dhabi and Dubai are investing billions of dollars in solar projects while bringing in new capital, technology and ideas to build up their solar power capabilities.⁸ The GCC population reached approximately 53.5 million people at the beginning of 2017 and is expected to grow by nearly 15% between 2020 and 2030.⁹ Saudi Arabia accounts for about 60% of the region s population followed by the UAE at 17%.¹⁰ An increasing population will gradually put a strain on a country s energy resources, whereas renewable alternatives such as solar energy provide a limitless supply of power. Despite a growing population, the deployment of solar projects is expected to yield emission savings under region s long-term renewable energy plans. The following chart illustrates the net outcome of carbon emission savings by lowering fossil fuel production, while local energy requirements increase over time. Technology Solutions New solar power stations in the UAE aim to fulfill local energy demand by offering a sustainable source of electricity. Research on the economic potential of solar technology started as early as the 1970s and 1980s at the King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia and the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR).¹¹ However, the cost of solar technology was far higher than the price of domestically sourced fossil fuel during this period.¹² Over time, technology improvements in Photovoltaic modules increased the efficiency of solar production enabling the supply of low-priced electricity. The UAE appears to offer some of the lowest energy tariffs in the region (as summarized in the following table). Table 1: Record-Low Tariffs in the UAE Project Capacity Developers Location PV Complex in Sweihan 1,177 MW/Year Marubeni Corporation (Abu Dhabi) and Jinko Solar Holding of China Abu Dhabi Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (Phase 3) Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (Phase 2) 800 MW/Year Masdar-led consortium Dubai 200 MW/Year DEWA Dubai Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) Sweihan project involves a 25-year power purchase agreement with an Asian consortium JinkoSolar and Marubeni, offering one of the lowest electricity prices in a utility-scale Photovoltaic project.¹³ The project will supply enough electricity to power 200,000 homes in Abu Dhabi.¹⁴ Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is sponsoring the construction of the third phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which is set to add 800 MW of solar capacity.¹⁵ The project was awarded to a Masdar-led consortium which includes the Spanish companies Gransolar Group and Fotowatio Renewable Ventures.¹⁶ The second phase of the Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai covers a land area of 4.4 million square meters.¹⁷ The project comprises of 2.3 million solar panels with enough capacity to power 30,000 homes in the city.¹⁸ There has been an extensive adoption of energy solutions across industries including utility-scale solar power plants, solar desalination plants, and solar manufacturing facilities.¹⁹ According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), utility-scale solar applications are apparent on largescale grids which offer favorable rates of deployment due to 6-19 Masdar, The Sustainable City, Media, Irena, GRS, Market Research, ACWA Power 3

4 economies of scale.²⁰ Moreover, Solar Photovoltaic modules cost three quarters less today than in 2009 and will continue to decrease.²¹ Saudi Arabia launched its first competitive tender for utility-scale solar power projects earlier this year as the country heads toward a sustainable path of production.²² The GCC countries are moving to an auction mechanism for bigger construction projects, which were traditionally implemented under an Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) model.²³ For example, the first phase of the Shagaya Renewable Energy Park in Kuwaiti was tendered on an EPC contract, but later stages are expected to be deployed under a purchase power agreement based on an Independent Power Producer (IPP) model.²⁴ IRENA notes that the shift from EPC to IPP tends to happen once a better understanding of procurement, financing, development, and operation developments are gained.²⁵ Construction Projects Large-scale renewable energy projects are currently underway and will strengthen the region s solar energy production capabilities once complete. These projects support national efforts in reducing economic dependency on locally sourced fossil fuel. New solar technologies can withstand high temperatures and dust accumulation, which could cause performance degradation.²⁶ The two common forms of solar technology in construction projects are Photovoltaic and Concentrated Solar Power.²⁷ Photovoltaic technology uses solar panels to convert sunlight directly into electricity, which is typical in urban construction projects such as residential and commercial properties, hospitality buildings and education facilities as well as mixed-use developments.²⁸ Concentrated Solar Power technology transforms solar radiation into thermal energy through the use of turbines, which is more frequent in desalination and industrial projects.²⁹ The following table lists some of the high-value solar energy projects worth USD 100 million or more that are active at different stages of the construction lifecycle. Table 2: Sample List of High-Value Solar Energy Projects in the GCC Project Value in USD Stage Location 1,177 MW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Sweihan $ 872 Million Under Construction Abu Dhabi Makkah Solar Power Plant $ 640 Million Tender Makkah Miraah Solar Thermal Facility - Al Amal $ 600 Million Completed Muscat 50 MW Solar Power Plant - Shagaya Power Plant (Phase 1) $ 385 Million Under Construction Kuwait City 200 MW Power Plant - Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (Phase 2) $ 272 Million Completed Dubai Solar Power Plant - Sino-Oman Industrial City- Phase 1 $ 94 Million Design Duqm Solar Energy Power Plant - Phase 1 $ 30 Million On Hold Doha 10 MW Solar Power Plant - Shagaya Power Plant (Phase 1) $ 19 Million Completed Kuwait City Kuwait Solar Power Station $ 16 Million Under Construction Kuwait City Irena, Govt. of Saudi Arabia 4

5 Conclusion The GCC solar energy market is growing with a broader application of energy solutions. Several key factors are strengthening the adoption of clean energy technology. GCC governments are pursuing energy diversification strategies by investing in solar capabilities to fulfill energy needs sustainably. Solar technology is bringing down the cost of energy production and installation, and thus increasing market penetration across a broad range of industries. Largescale projects allow economies of scale which drive down the cost of production by spreading fixed costs over higher output levels. Solar projects in the construction pipeline aim at increasing local energy generation capacities to meet the growing needs of the region. For more construction intelligence contact Tel: (+971) contactus@bncnetwork.net or visit 5

RISE OF GCC ALTERNATIVE ENERGIES TABLE OF CONTENTS GCC RESPONSE TO LOWER OIL PRICES CONCLUSIONS

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