Solar power set to shine bright here

Use of solar power in the emirates can only increase, say experts.

Dubai — Solar energy has begun to make major strides in the UAE as the market for fossil fuels becomes increasingly difficult, according to the president and founder of the Middle East Solar Industry Association (Mesia).

Mesia, a non-profit organisation founded in November 2009, aims to spread the use of solar power across the region and facilitate business opportunities for member businesses, as well as produce reports on solar technology, standards and certifications.

In an interview with the Khaleej Times, founder Vahid Fotuhi said the increasingly erratic supply of other energy sources has created an opportunity for solar power to thrive in the UAE.

“The first few years were baby steps because energy sources were abundant and solar energy was expensive,” he said. “But we saw a perfect storm in which energy supply has started to become scarce.”

“What seemed like a very huge gap started to shrink and shrink,” he added. “That shrink resulted in massive leaps forward for solar power.”

Since its inception, Mesia has gained solar-friendly members in Qatar, Jordan and Egypt as well as across the UAE, and reached 100 member organisations in June 2013.

Looking towards the future, Fotuhi said that advances in technology, such as crystalline solar cells, will mean that solar power will become increasingly popular when compared to fossil fuels.

“It can only go up,” he said. “Unlike fossil fuels, solar power is not subject to increases in prices. The prices (of solar power) will only get lower as technology gets better, for example with crystalline.”

“What we see is a natural evolution downward in pricing as we see an increase in technology and capabilities, which will inevitably lead to solar power across the whole region,” he added.

Fotuhi noted that local authorities have already begun to embrace solar power as a viable alternative to other energy sources. As an example, Fotuhi noted that the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (Dewa) has recently launched the Shams Dubai initiative to regulate the generation of solar power and its connection to Dewa power grids.

“Shams has just been rolled out, but I’m very sure it will be successful,” he said.

In March, Dewa representatives noted that solar energy can halve household energy bills and that savings will continue despite an initially high investment.

Fotuhi also said despite the increasing presence of solar energy cells across the Emirate, people are still largely unaware of how exactly solar energy systems function.

“I think people are aware (of solar power), but are not aware of how the technology works, or the economics of it,” he said. “It’s a gradual learning process. But I think it’s getting there, especially in Dubai.”

Mesia’s 2015 Solar Outlook noted that a record number of solar power projects are expected to be tendered over the course of the year, including several in the UAE, such as one for Al Ain Hospital.

bernd@khaleejtimes.com

 

• UAE