Writing for Green Tech Media, Jason Deign, comments that the Middle East market for solar energy is anticipating a big year in 2016… maybe. The Middle East Solar Outlook for 2016 produced by the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) forecasts that more than 4 gigawatts of solar power projects are planned across the region.
Deign takes a look at some of the countries with solar energy projects and considers the likelihood of their hitting MESIA’s estimates.
Egypt – with 1.5 gigawatts expected to be installed in 2016 will payment delays and a stalled feed-in tariff program undercut this number?
Algeria – leads the region in terms of operational projects and also has 2 gigawatts of solar energy projects tendered for 2016.
UAE, Jordan and Morocco are all hoping to attain a 10% increase in 2016 with the UAE aiming to tender 1.15 gigawatts.
The laggard in the group, according to Deign, is Saudi Arabia. Though Saudi Arabia continues to have the most promise of any market in the region, “In 2012, the nation attracted strong interest from developers after unveiling plans for 41 gigawatts of solar power generation by 2032, with an initial 600 megawatts due for procurement in 2013. The scheme was halted shortly afterward, though. “The delay in the launch of the Saudi solar program has had a negative impact on the overall energy economics in the kingdom,” observes the MESIA study.”
Currently, the MESIA report states there are, “693 megawatts of centralized and distributed solar power are now operational in Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and almost 2.9 gigawatts more are “under execution” (awarded or being built).”
The full article in Green Tech Media can be viewed here.
The Middle East Solar Outlook for 2016 can be viewed here.
