The Bahrain Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) and Bahrain Steel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the largest rooftop solar energy project in the Kingdom.
Mr. Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed, President of EWA, commended Bahrain Steel’s initiative and investment and underscored the significance of this project in paving the way for the delivery of Bahrain’s objectives of diversifying its energy sources, and also outlined that this MoU will also play an important role in adapting to climate change challenges and protecting Bahrain’s environment and natural resources.
The president further noted that this project, along with other solar energy initiatives, is among the many milestones of Bahrain’s Energy Transition Plan and will contribute to the government’s goal to depend on renewable energy sources for 5 percent of the Kingdom’s electricity production by 2025, increasing to 20 percent by 2035.
Bahrain Steel’s solar energy project will be distributed through seven connection points in EWA’s distribution network. It will rely on EWA’s net metering, a policy that allows consumers to generate their power from renewable energy and feed the excess power into the national grid.
The solar panels will be installed within the boundaries and surfaces of Bahrain Steel, where the total capacity of the solar photovoltaic energy system is expected to reach the capacity of 100 megawatts, which will be installed in three stages within the next three years. Smart meters will be installed to accurately measure electricity production and consumption.
Mr. Ahmed Mohammed also explained that approximately 167,000 megawatt-hours of solar energy will be produced annually from the project, which is 41 percent of Bahrain Steel’s consumption. This will contribute to reducing carbon emissions annually and support achieving net zero by 2060.
Meshary Al-Judaimi Chairman Bahrain Steel
“We look forward to contributing to the development of the industrial and business sectors in Bahrain, and to lead by example across a variety of sectors locally, regionally, and internationally. We strive to utilize our resources and expertise to support the Kingdom’s commitment to reduce CO2 emissions through a range of sustainable initiatives.”
Mr. Al Judaimi, emphasized the importance of adopting transformative initiatives that will contribute to establishing a greener and more sustainable future.
