Over 4 GW of solar tenders expected in Middle East this year

The Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) says there will be tenders for 4,020 MW of solar power capacity this year in the region.

The organisation’s head of research, Raed Bkayrat, believes that claims that solar growth will slow down because of low oil prices are unfounded. “It is incorrect to assume that solar growth will need to be subsidized by petro-dollars, when all the evidence points to solar being cost competitive with every conventional energy generation resource, on an unsubsidized basis,” Bkayrat said, adding that solar energy is expected to become the single most attractive option for power generation as countries in the region are starting to adjust hydrocarbon subsidies, correct electricity pricing strategies and work to reduce consumption of oil and gas.

The table below shows the completed, progressing and upcoming solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP) projects by country, taken out of MESIA’s annual Middle East Solar Outlook. The capacity is given in MW AC.

“The numbers speak for themselves and point to the fact that we're in the midst of a tipping point for solar in the region and that we can only expect the market to grow from here,” said MESIA president Imitiaz Mahtab.

In the report MESIA says it expects power purchase agreement (PPA) bids this year to offer very low levelised cost of electricity (LCOE). Already, memoranda of understanding (MOUs) have been signed for as low as USD 0.05 per kWh.

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