The 2023 version of the World Future Power Summit in Abu Dhabi has attracted lots of the heavyweights of the renewables business within the Center East, in addition to all the foremost producers of photo voltaic modules and inverters from China. . The occasion reveals that pandemic disruptions and provide chain points haven’t dampened demand in regional markets.
Official figures on the variety of exhibitors and attendants weren’t launched earlier than publication, however the measurement of the occasion has elevated from earlier years, with some observers estimating that it might have grown by 50%. . The character of the attendees has additionally modified, with many professionals becoming a member of in the hunt for enterprise alternatives.
Many initiatives within the Center East have been delayed in recent times, however now they’re being resumed and are slowly coming on-line. New initiatives have additionally been introduced and main pipelines are consolidating in markets resembling Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Essential markets
Nevertheless, native analysts name for a conservative method to those markets, as they’re pushed by very low bids in power auctions, with robust strain on costs. Nevertheless, the market is looking for a stability between low costs and the steadiness of the provision chain.
“We at all times think about WFES to develop our technique for the area by way of merchandise and expertise,” Mohammed Saadi, head of technical providers and product administration at Chinese language module maker JinkoSolar mentioned. pv journal. “That is our second version and we’ve seen many enhancements. There are lots of gamers on the planet and we’ve additionally seen consultants and media.
Saadi mentioned demand is growing throughout the Center East and North Africa (MENA) area.
“For this and subsequent yr, we must always ship as much as 8 GW of photo voltaic modules to those markets,” he added, noting that the most popular markets for the utility-scale enterprise can be Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Egypt, and Morocco. “For distributed technology segments, essentially the most fascinating markets needs to be Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen, the place final yr we despatched greater than 100 MW.”
Marwan Al Jaber, JA Photo voltaic’s gross sales director for the Center East, mentioned pv journal that the Chinese language firm has obtained many critical inquiries on the Abu Dhabi occasion.
“The demand is growing even in a number of the areas of the Center East the place there isn’t any regulation and there’s additionally now working the residential enterprise,” he mentioned. “Probably the most energetic market proper now could be Saudi Arabia, particularly for the utility scale phase, in addition to for industrial and industrial initiatives.”
He mentioned Lebanon can be growing, regardless of a deep monetary disaster, on account of continual power shortages.
“Photo voltaic power is essentially the most dependable supply of electrical energy as we speak,” mentioned Al Jaber. “On this regard, Yemen can be an fascinating market.”
Shiny Solar, the chief advertising officer of MEA&CA for Longi in China, mentioned pv journal that the module producer met new and outdated prospects on the Abu Dhabi occasion.
“We’re seeing the acceleration of the MENA market and we’re additionally seeing firms from Central Asia and Africa becoming a member of the motion right here,” added Solar, who claimed that demand within the area has greater than tripled yearly. for Longi in 2023.
“We have now already signed an settlement for a big venture with Saudi Arabia and in addition with the UAE and Qatar,” he mentioned.
Mohit Shrimal, advertising director of Huawei, mentioned pv journal which this yr would be the fifth consecutive yr that the inverter producer can have a presence on the occasion in Abu Dhabi.
“It affords straightforward market entry not solely within the Center East but in addition in Africa,” Shrimal mentioned. “Inverter demand right here is growing regardless of expertise challenges and chip shortages and we count on a fruitful five-year interval.”
Hope for hydrogen
Mohammad Youssef, a spokesman for Chinese language inverter maker Sungrow, mentioned the success of the Abu Dhabi occasion highlighted the “progress” of the market.
The market will see robust development within the utility-scale phase this yr, however we additionally count on spectacular development within the distributed technology enterprise,” he mentioned. pv journal. “We have now additionally began to make the primary shipments for power storage methods however, in comparison with extra mature markets resembling the USA and Europe, their financial viability stays difficult.
Ray Luiz, MENA regional director for inverter maker TBEA, mentioned Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are the very best markets. He famous that string and central inverters are gaining acceptance all through the East. “It will depend on the shopper’s request, however we’ve the likelihood to supply each options in all these markets,” he mentioned.
A spokesperson for Austrian inverter producer Fronius mentioned the Abu Dhabi occasion was nicely attended by PV product distributors.
“We proceed to see robust demand within the C&I enterprise, though the residential phase stays restricted in volumes,” mentioned the Fronius spokesperson. “It would in all probability change into a giant market in all probability within the subsequent two years. Jordan is Saudi Arabia which might be essentially the most promising markets on this regard, in addition to Yemen and Lebanon.
Given the UAE’s inexperienced hydrogen ambitions, it’s no shock that the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ABSW), which additionally occurred final week, gave delight of place to the Inexperienced Hydrogen Summit (GHS).
Masdar Clear Power Government Director Fawaz Al Muharrami mentioned pv journal that the corporate goals for 100 GW of renewable capability by 2030. He mentioned that roughly 25% of this will likely be allotted to the inexperienced manufacturing of hydrogen (or its derivatives), with the goal of manufacturing 1 million tons of inexperienced hydrogen per yr by 2050.
However whereas inexperienced hydrogen is about to change into a buzzword earlier than it turns into a booming market, a minimum of one speaker on the ADSW Inexperienced Hydrogen Summit did not overlook the important thing phrase – sustainable. Wale Shonibare – the African Improvement Financial institution’s director of power monetary options, coverage and rules – mentioned that on the subject of inexperienced hydrogen venture growth in Africa, “we do not wish to repeat the errors of fossil fuels,” He provides that “native. neighborhood” can be price contemplating.
“The No. 1 drawback in Africa is entry to power, so we have to combine native communities into the worth chain,” continued Shonibare, who says inexperienced hydrogen affords in African nations is a market to export exhausting forex that can be utilized to develop native infrastructure.
Within the midst of entertaining the big scope of the way forward for inexperienced hydrogen and the way it can assist hard-hit industries and economies that depend on fossil fuels to maneuver away from carbon-intensive sources, it’s fascinating to notice that the idea of “extra” was additionally on the lips of the attendees.
A tangential concern to the event of inexperienced hydrogen in growing areas resembling sub-Saharan Africa is the water depth of pure processes and the way this impacts areas which might be already scarce. water. Nevertheless, Masdar’s head of enterprise growth for inexperienced hydrogen, Dr. Faye Al Hersh, talking pv journal that the quantity of water required for electrolysis is just not as important as some individuals assume.
“Many of the water wanted for the inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing course of is definitely for cooling, and it would not should be desalinated water, it may be sea water for instance,” mentioned Al Hersh.
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