Saudi to tender for first renewable projects
By Kelvin Ross, Deputy Editor
Saudi Arabia is about to embark on its first round of tenders for renewable energy projects, which will involve a potential 2850 MW of capacity. Around 1100 MW will involve photovoltaic solar, 900 MW concentrated solar, 650 MW wind and 200 MW from other sources such as geothermal and waste-to-energy.
The King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-Care) will issue draft proposals for the programme in June and invite bids. A second round of procurement will be carried out next year and in 2014.
All of the projects will be developed as independent power projects with 20-year power purchase agreements. In preparation for the renewable projects, Saudi’s National Grid Company is to start work soon on reinforcing the power distribution network.
The kingdom is facing an electricity consumption crisis, consuming six times the global average, prompting the government to set a target of developing 54.1 GW of renewable power by 2030, including 41 GW from solar power. 29/05/2012
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