Africa & Middle East

Egypt will invest US$1 billion in solar energy in the coming years, according to the state-run information service.

Additional renewable energy capacity, including onshore wind and photovoltaic power generation projects, will be granted approval under the third round of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP), the country’s Department of Energy (DoE) has announced.

Dubai’s state utility company has opened the tender process for 100MW solar PV generating capacity.

ET Solar’s German engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) subsidiary ET Solutions has completed and commissioned a 7.8MWp solar power plant in Mishmar Hanegev, Israel, for EDF Energies Nouvelles.

Dubai-based investment company Adenium Energy Capital is to co-develop a 10MW PV power plant in Jordan.

Norway based developer, Scatec Solar, is to build a 10MW PV power plant in Jordan.

Concentrator PV (CPV) specialist, Soitec, has said its 44MW Touwsrivier solar power plant in South Africa has reached 50% commissioning.

A US$250 million loan for a concentrating solar power (CSP) plant in Israel has been approved by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), a US government development finance group.

Egypt’s new prime minister, Ibrahim Melheb has stressed the need for solar energy development in the country, according to a report on Egypt’s state information service (SIS).

Saudi Arabia will put 700-1000MW of solar power out to tender by the end of the year, according to Vahid Fotuhi, president of the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA).