Reasons To Attend

MENA SOLAR FACT Solarpaces, ESTIA and Greenpeace estimates that globally CSP could reach over 36 000 MW of installed capacity by 2025, of which 9000 MW would be in the Middle East, representing a market of over $8 billion.

• Egypt - combined Cycle Power Island was contracted, which is currently under construction and expected to start operation in the year 2010. A first 140 MW ISCC plant with a 20 MW parabolic trough solar field been built
• Tunisian government outlined plans to develop solar power capacity to diversify reliance on traditional source of electricity. 40 projects planned for 2010-2016, 29 schemes financed by private sector
• Morocco is undertaking a $9 billion solar energy project, with 5 solar power generation sites throughout Morocco producing 2,000 MW of electricity by 2020.
• Jordan has the JOAN1 project which is expected to enter operation in 2013 and will be the largest CSP project in the world using direct solar steam generation.
• Saudi Arabia is planning to make solar power a major contributor to energy supply in the next five-10 years, according to the Kingdom’s minister for petroleum and mineral resources.
  
  “Saudi Arabia aspires to export as much solar energy in the future as it exports now,” said Ali Al-Naimi, in an interview with Reuters
• Masdar and Abu Dhabi - Altogether around 1500 MW of CSP is slated for development by 2020, with the first 100 MW already under construction at Madinat Zayed and due for completion in 2011. Even if the 1500 MW are developed, this could be just the start for the Emirate
• Abu Dhabi Heats Up the Global Solar Market with $2 Billion Investment in Photovoltaic Manufacturing
• Algeria, a national goal has been set to provide for 10 percent of the energy demand with renewable energy by 2025. One solar thermal plant is under construction, and two more ISCC plants, each with an output of 400 MW and 70 MW CSP, will be developed between 2010 and 2015.
• Syria’s power demand is forecast to skyrocket and furthermore the demand pattern is shifting. Thus, investment, especially foreign, in its electricity sector together with a shift away from heavy fuel oil are now the priority