Petra Solar announced on May 21 that it will be part of a major consortium that will deploy a five-megawatt (MW) grid-tied photovoltaic (PV) solar plant in the Kingdom of Bahrain, near the western shores of the Persian Gulf. The landmark project will be the first of its kind in the region.

The initiative will leverage smart solar technology developed in the United States by Petra Solar to generate electricity in a reliable way that stabilizes electricity distribution—and will potentially create jobs at several skill levels in Bahrain. In addition, this approach to the deployment of utility scale solar will enable the Kingdom to avoid future costs of rebuilding the grid.

Solar panels in the desert, courtesy of Al Bawaba News.

Petra Solar offers the SunWave photovoltaic (PV) Smart Solar system, which provides distributed clean energy that ties directly into the electric grid, and does not require an upgrade to either the current transmission or distribution infrastructure. One of the key advantages of the Petra Solar solution is its flexible grid integration architecture that enables installation on existing assets that can hold one or more solar modules, such as utility and streetlight poles, rooftops, and other available structures

In addition to Petra Solar, the development team includes:

• National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), which is the government unit in Bahrain tasked with overseeing and regulating all oil and gas activities, as well as sustainable economic development of the Kingdom, as outlined in Bahrain Vision 2030;
• Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO), a wholly owned subsidiary of nogaholding, which is the steward of the government's share of investment in several oil and gas related entities in the Kingdom;
• Electricity & Water Authority (EWA), which administers the Electricity Distribution Directorate (EDD) , the entity responsible for licensing of electricians, engineers, and other contractors ; and
• Caspian Energy Holdings, a Washington , DC-based international energy, economic development and public affairs enterprise.

Together, they will bring solar and smart grid benefits to the small BAPCO township of Awali, the University of Bahrain, and other locations in Bahrain.

“The project in Awali represents just the first step in a series of initiatives by NOGA to diversify the sources of energy needed to ensure the sustainable development of the Kingdom. Following a successful implementation of this pilot project we expect that other projects will follow in the near future. Through forming strategic alliances with technologically advanced partners, NOGA aims to diversify the energy supply sources that will help achieve the goals of Bahrain Vision 2030,” commented His Excellency Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza – Minister of Energy, Chairman of The National Oil and Gas Authority.

Gordon Smith , CEO of the Bahrain Petroleum Company, predicted, “The landscape of Awali will be changed by this initiative; but more than the landscape, the operating philosophy of BAPCO, which relied totally on fossil fuels for generating its electricity, will also change as a result of this project. Through this ste, BAPCO reinforces its image as a responsible corporate citizen that cares for the environment and the community [in which we live].”

 “The Middle East has for some time evaluated the integration of solar energy for reduction of reliance on non-renewable energy sources,” Marty Youssefiani, CEO of Caspian Energy Holdings, said, adding, “Bahrain, however, is among the first in the region to implement a project of this kind, demonstrating a serious commitment to long term solutions.”

BAPCO Chief Executive Faisal Al Mahroos, said, “They are to start work on Awali Township soon as part of a project which will have all houses and other utilities running partly on solar energy," he said."All going well, the entire project will be completed by 2012."