The 2023 version of the World Future Power Summit in Abu Dhabi attracted a lot of the heavyweights of the Center Jap renewables business, in addition to all massive producers of photo voltaic modules and inverters from China. The occasion confirmed that pandemic disruptions and provide chain points usually are not slowing down demand within the area’s markets.
Official figures on the numbers of exhibitors and attendants weren’t launched previous to publication, however the dimension of the occasion has elevated from years previous, with some some observers estimating that it could have grown by as much as 50%. The character of attendees has additionally modified, with extra professionals taking part to seek for enterprise alternatives.
A number of tasks within the Center East have been delayed in recent times, however now they’re being resumed and are slowly logging on. New tasks are additionally being introduced and massive pipelines are consolidating in markets resembling Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Key markets
Nevertheless, native analysts are calling for a conservative strategy to those markets, as they’re pushed by very low bids in vitality auctions, with sturdy strain on costs. Nevertheless, the market is looking for a stability between low costs and the volatility of the provision chain.
“We all the time thought-about the WFES the develop our technique for the area by way of merchandise and know-how,” Mohammed Saadi, head of technical providers and product administration at Chinese language module maker JinkoSolar informed pv journal. “That is our second version and we noticed important enhancements. There are extra international gamers and we additionally see consultants and media.”
Saadi stated demand is rising throughout all the Center East and North Africa (MENA) area.
“For this and subsequent 12 months, we should always ship as much as 8 GW of photo voltaic modules in these markets,” he added, noting that the most well liked markets for the utility-scale enterprise is perhaps Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Egypt, and Morocco. “For the distributed era segments, probably the most attention-grabbing markets needs to be Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen, the place final 12 months we shipped greater than 100 MW.”
Marwan Al Jaber, JA Photo voltaic‘s gross sales director for the Center East, informed pv journal that the Chinese language firm obtained a number of critical inquiries on the Abu Dhabi occasion.
“Demand is rising even in a few of these Center East areas the place there is no such thing as a regulation and one thing can also be now shifting within the residential enterprise,” he stated. “Essentially the most lively market proper now could be Saudi Arabia, particularly for the utility scale phase, in addition to for industrial and industrial tasks.”
He stated Lebanon can also be rising, regardless of its deep monetary disaster, as a consequence of power vitality shortages.
“Photo voltaic vitality is probably the most dependable supply of electrical energy proper now,” Al Jaber acknowledged. “At this regard, Yemen can also be an attention-grabbing market.”
Vibrant Solar, the chief advertising and marketing officer MEA&CA for China’s Longi, informed pv journal that the module producer met new and outdated clients on the Abu Dhabi occasion.
“We see the market accelerating in MENA and we additionally see firms from Central Asia and Africa becoming a member of the occasion right here,” added Solar, who claimed that regional demand will greater than triple 12 months on 12 months for Longi in 2023.
“We already signed a deal for an enormous undertaking in Saudi Arabia and likewise within the UAE and Qatar,” he stated.
Mohit Shrimal, advertising and marketing director for Huawei, informed pv journal that this 12 months was the fifth consecutive 12 months that the inverter producer has a presence on the Abu Dhabi occasion.
“It affords straightforward market entry not solely to the Center East but additionally to Africa,” stated Shrimal. “Inverter demand right here is rising regardless of the know-how challenges and chip shortages and we count on a really fruitful five-year interval.”
Hydrogen hopes
Mohammad Youssef, a spokesperson for Chinese language inverter maker Sungrow, stated the success of the Abu Dhabi occasion underscores the “prosperity” of the market.
The market will see sturdy development within the utility-scale phase this 12 months, however we additionally count on spectacular development within the distributed era enterprise,” he informed pv journal. “We additionally began to make first shipments for storage vitality techniques however, in contrast with extra mature markets resembling the USA and Europe, their economical viability stays difficult.
Ray Luiz, regional director of MENA for inverter maker TBEA, stated that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are probably the most promising markets. He famous that each string and central inverters are gaining acceptance all through the Center East. “It is determined by the consumer’s request, however we have a tendency to supply boths options in all these markets,” he stated.
A spokesperson for Austrian inverter producer Fronius stated the Abu Dhabi occasion was properly attended by PV product distributors.
“We maintain seeing sturdy demand within the C&I enterprise, though the residential phase stays restricted in volumes,” the Fronius spokesperson stated. “It is going to probably turn out to be an enormous market probably within the subsequent couple of years. Jordan are Saudi Arabia most likely probably the most promising markets on this regard, in addition to Yemen and Lebanon.”
Given UAE’s inexperienced hydrogen ambitions, it’s no shock that Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ABSW), which additionally happened final week, gave delight of place to its Inexperienced Hydrogen Summit (GHS).
Govt Director Masdar Clear Power Fawaz Al Muharrami informed pv journal that the corporate is aiming for 100 GW of renewable capability by 2030. He stated roughly 25% of this might be dedicated to inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing (or its derivatives), with the goal of manufacturing 1 million tons of inexperienced hydrogen each year by 2050.
However whereas inexperienced hydrogen is verging on turning into a buzzword earlier than it turns into a booming market, no less than one speaker on the ADSW Inexperienced Hydrogen Summit didn’t neglect the important thing phrase – sustainable. Wale Shonibare – the African Improvement Financial institution’s director of vitality monetary options, coverage and rules – stated that in relation to inexperienced hydrogen undertaking improvement in Africa, “we don’t wish to repeat the errors of fossil fuels,” He added that “native communities” additionally deserve consideration.
“Africa’s No. 1 drawback is vitality entry, so we have to combine native communities into the worth chain,” continued Shonibare, who famous that inexperienced hydrogen affords African nations an export market in onerous forex which can be utilized to develop native infrastructure.
Within the midst of entertaining the large scope of the inexperienced hydrogen future and the way it might help onerous to abate industries and fossil gas dependent economies transition away from carbon-intensive sources, it was attention-grabbing to notice the idea of “additionality” was additionally on the lips of attendees.
A tangential concern in inexperienced hydrogen improvement in creating areas like sub-Saharan African is the water depth of inherent processes and the way they could have an effect on already water scarce areas. Nevertheless, Masdar’s head of enterprise improvement for inexperienced hydrogen, Dr. Faye Al Hersh, informed pv journal that the quantity of water required for electrolysis will not be as important as some individuals may assume.
“The vast majority of the water required for the inexperienced hydrogen manufacturing course of is definitely for cooling, and this doesn’t must be desalinated water, it may be seawater for instance,” stated Al Hersh.
