Solar powers

The solar power market in the Middle East is hotting up, with a diversification of products and suppliers. MEP Middle East finds out about the latest products and developments.

CStar International

CEO Nabil Hamade, who is a certified energy manager from the Association of Energy Engineers in the US, explains that, while CStar International specialises in energy auditing and energy management, it also offers a range of solar-power products. These range from solar hot water heating systems to streetlights and PV panels.

Hamade is convinced that solar-powered streetlights offer the biggest potential for this technology to become common and accepted in the Middle East, which is only starting to embrace renewable energy in any significant fashion.

“When you get into solar, your upfront costs are very high. If you want to develop a brand new solar-power generation facility for air-con, for example, it is costly. With solar lighting, on the other hand, you do not have to run wires, and conduits or trenches are eliminated. It simply comprises a streetlight mast with a battery and a solar panel. It is totally independent, and you can put it anywhere, whether in streets or even in gardens.

“We have calculated a two-year payback period, with a 50% return-on-investment – compared to solar-power generation itself, which typically has a 20-year payback. So in order to benefit the diverse communities here and meet the new sustainability objectives of the government, we think this is the way to go.”

In terms of the streetlights themselves, Hamade explains that the company offers LED, metal halide and low-pressure sodium types. “We focus on LED as this represents the latest technology and offers the best cost-savings. The output from a 28 W LED light is equivalent to a standard 150 W light. Therefore you do not need a big battery either, which has an added cost benefit in terms of ancillary infrastructure.”

All the company’s products are imported from China at present. “We have not considered local manufacture right now, as I do not think the market is big enough to sustain this. We are considering possible manufacture of additional components in the future. Masdar City in Abu Dhabi is already looking into local manufacture, which could possibly flood the market and result in an oversupply of products, unless it can tap into another consumer base.”

Hamade adds that service support and back-up are as important as the innovative technology itself. “We offer a ten-year warranty on solar panels and a three-year warranty on batteries. We also stock replacement components – batteries, lights or whatever may be needed. Of course, with big users we are able to offer maintenance contracts, including annual check-ups, replacement and predictive maintenance if required, such as cleaning the panels.”

In terms of retrofitting existing buildings to take advantage of renewable energy, Hamade points to solar hot water heating systems as a good starting point.

“There is limited space on commercial high-rise tower roofs for solar panels, but they will readily support solar hot water systems. The industrial sector has much more roof space available, so there are opportunities there.”

Hamade adds that, because solar hot water heating is an off-grid solution, the prickly issue of integrating with the existing DEWA tariff structure is avoided. “That is why it so popular in parking lots and any island-type applications.”

Ecoval General Trading LLC

MD Jim Sebastian says he “definitely sees the market for solar hot water heating systems picking up.” This is because electricity supply cannot keep pace with demand, which is forcing the authorities to look for alternative solutions. “The installed capacity for solar is also much smaller for the same or an even greater amount of power generation, leading to reduced initial outlay and costs.”

Ecoval imports solar hot water heating systems from Australia, a brand called Solarhart owned by Rheem. “This is one of the most popular brands in the world, from South Africa to the Middle East,” comments Sebastian. In 2009, Ecoval achieved the distinction of being the largest Solarhart distributor out of 90 countries. “The top position used to be dominated by Italy, but this year we are on top.”

Sebastian says Solarhart is the only system in the world to feature drain-back technology. “What happens is you have your storage tank on the lower level, which is the ground, and you have the collectors on the roof. When the sun is out, there is a pump that switches on. The high solar irradiation results in the fluid in the panels that transfers the heat being circulated by a pumping system. In the evening, when the sun is down, the pump switches off, and all the fluid settles by gravity. Hence it is vital that the tank is one level below.

“What happens normally is that most people place everything on the roof, which means the circulating fluid is always in the loop, the temperature goes too high, and then the pumps and pipes fail. Our system is very simple, as it switches off before it can overheat,” explains Sebastian.

In addition, the PV panels comprising the system are extra strong and durable. There are six different types of panel depending on the specific requirement. “We install and commission the systems. When we started Enval in 2002, we focused mainly on solar hot water heating, whereafter we moved into large commercial systems for hotels, for example, with the establishment of Ecoval in 2007.

The average lifecycle of a Solarhart system is anywhere from 12 to 25 years, depending on routine mechanical equipment maintenance. “We have a maintenance contract with Holiday Inn, for example.” Sebastian says that one particular Solarhart system at the company’s head office in Australia had been in operation for an astonishing 50 years.

“At the moment we are involved with the Movenpick on The Palm, which involves heating a 15 000 litre pool. This required an 8 MW boiler system and heat exchangers. In comparison, the pool at Atlantis, another project completed successfully by Ecoval, was 1 500 litres,” reveals Sebastian.

Exhibiting for the first time in the Middle East at The Big 5, Digital Surface Research from Wales launched an innovative energy conservation system called SolaVeil ‘Cool Daylight’.

SolaVeil technical operations manager Nigel Dawson explains that the technology is able to harvest and manage daylight into a building, significantly reducing solar heat gain, eliminating glare and cutting energy bills by more than half. Solar heat gain is cut by as much as 81%, while maximising the potential for daylight usage within buildings, with overall lighting savings of up to 70%.
Dawson says SolaVeil is a digitally manufactured and enhanced flexible substrate that can be applied to existing or new glass surfaces. Cleaning is simple, and is undertaken as part of a normal cleaning regime for glass.

SolaVeil has been designed to be retrofitted to existing buildings. The application process is simple but technically thorough. Utilising a water-based application solution, SolaVeil is applied to existing glazing that has been prepared scrupulously.

This proprietary Welsh technology is now being marketed in the Middle East. SolaVeil’s unrivalled ability to reduce solar heat gain and the region’s commitment to reducing energy usage and related carbon emissions made the UAE an obvious location to develop our business, explains Dawson. He reveals that distributorships will be set up in due course.

“However, the core commercial relationships will be that of joint ventures, as we see the future development of SolaVeil being driven in part by what we can learn from the market and reintroduce as part of our commitment to continuous research and development.”

The slowdown in construction, combined with the ‘green’ trend, means that energy-saving products like SolaVeil should find a ready market. In addition, SolaVeil’s significant savings equate into a short return on investment of typically two to three years.

Megasun Solar Energy Systems

Export sales manager Yanni Vassalos argues that technology adoption is critical for the region to embrace the full benefits of renewable energy. In addition, the UAE will have to embrace solar water-heating technologies in order to meet its Kyoto Protocol commitments.

“The UAE has led the way for much of the region in terms of its commitment to the Kyoto and Johannesburg environmental treaties, but is not yet embracing the simple solutions that will make that possible,” explains Vassalos.

The Greek company, exhibiting at last year’s The Big Five for the second time, used the high-profile platform to promote its solar water-heating panel and tank systems. Vassalos reveals that Megasun is looking for a network of distributors to take its product to the wider Middle East, having already made significant inroads into Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“What I really want is to find a distributor who can sell directly into Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain. This year, we have already sold three full shipping containers to Iraq and more to Syria, but we want a network in the Middle East that can transform occasional sales into a reliable business stream.” The company is hoping to turn the 2% of business the Middle East market currently represents into 10% within two years.

According to Vassalos, the Greek system is capable of heating 300 litres of water to 75ºC in just a couple of hours, even on cloudy mornings in this region. “The systems we have on display are suitable for single residential units, right up to industrial-sized plant facilities, and obviously in the Middle East the application of this technology could result in real utility bill savings.”

PTL Solar

PTL Solar, an expert in solar streetlighting solutions, and part of Green Energy LLC, has announced its appointment as exclusive distributor for the Middle East and Africa region for Reliance Solar Group, part of Reliance Industries, the largest private sector enterprise in India. Following this announcement, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, Honorary Minister for New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, inaugurated the first exclusive international Reliance showroom at the Dubai Creek Towers in Deira.

His Excellency Dr. Rashid Ahmed Bin Fahad, UAE Minister of Environment and Water, was the chief guest at the inauguration ceremony, which was also attended by Ali bin Towaih, executive director of Enpark and Sustainable Energy and Environment Division (SEED) at Tecom Investments, and Rabindra Satpathy, president of the Reliance Solar Group. A delegation from the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was also in attendance.

PTL Solar MD Prabissh Thomas said: “This alliance is a perfect match for us, as it will bring synergy to our operations and help us meet our aim of offering the best energy solutions. We are looking forward to extending the benefits of this partnership to a wide base of stakeholders in the entire region.”

The Reliance Solar Group specialises in developing and offering products, systems and solutions ranging from solar lanterns, home lighting systems and streetlighting systems to water purification systems, refrigeration systems and solar air-conditioners, all based on solar energy.

“Enpark’s mandate is to ensure that its business partners are provided with an optimal environment and the resources to grow the green energy industry in the region. We are confident PTL Solar will play a crucial role in driving forward the green industry and positioning the UAE as a leading player in the global energy sector,” commented bin Towaih.

As part of its campaign to transform the existing lighting system into solar-based applications, PTL Solar has supplied its GRENlite solar energy outdoor lighting units to Dewa, as well as Tecom Investments’ Dubai Outsource Zone and Dubai Internet City. It has also installed solar carpark lights for Nakheel in its Waterfront project, as well as having illuminated the first automotive factory in the UAE for heavy vehicles assembled by Scania, the world’s third-largest maker of trucks and buses.

A leading provider of customised home heating, cooling and indoor air-quality products, Lennox Industries has introduced its patent-pending SunSource Home Energy System, a new solar-powered central heating and cooling system that reduces overall household electricity consumption without the costs associated with traditional solar installations.

The new SunSource Home Energy System not only harnesses solar energy from the sun to reduce the electricity consumed by a residential heat pump or air-conditioner, but is also able to use that solar power to operate other devices in the home that consume electricity, such as lighting and appliances, when the heating and cooling system is not running. In addition, if the SunSource system generates more power than is used by the home, that power will be sent back to the utility company, for example, which may entitle the homeowner to a credit on their utility bills in the US.

According to the US Department of Energy, the typical US household pays US$2 200 a year on utility bills, and the bulk of those energy costs – between 50% and 60% – comes from heating and cooling the home. “With SunSource, homeowners can reduce the energy consumption associated with heating and air-conditioning, while also significantly cutting their overall utility bills,” said Lennox VP: product management John Hurst.

“Lennox is the first heating and air-conditioning manufacturer to harness solar energy for central heating and cooling and beyond, and the new SunSource system is really a gateway to the future of innovation in the HVAC industry.” The SunSource Home Energy System comprises:
• A solar-ready, high-efficiency Lennox air-conditioner or heat pump that has been specially enhanced to serve as the platform for this new home energy system;
• A Lennox solar subpanel that provides the connection between utility-interactive solar power system and the HVAC unit;
• One to 15 roof-mounted solar modules that harness clean, sustainable energy from the sun and use it to run the home’s central heating and cooling system as well as other appliances – the more modules, the more homeowners can reduce their utility costs; and
• A communications system that allows homeowners to monitor each solar module’s operation and energy production online, as well as other environmental benefits such as the amount of carbon offset.

“The most efficient air-conditioners and heat pumps manufactured by Lennox will automatically come ‘solar ready’, just like many of today’s television sets are automatically sold as ‘HD ready’,” commented Hurst. “Consumers who purchase these systems will have the option to integrate a solar package at installation or at a later date.

And because the system is expandable, homeowners can start small with a couple of solar modules and add more in the future, for a total of up to 15 solar modules per outdoor unit and added energy savings.”

MENA solar market

Global management consulting firm AT Kearney expects that solar power will become cost-competitive in the near future as rising costs for oil and gas make renewable energy sources increasingly attractive. AT Kearney believes that, when looking at energy generation cost and job creation opportunities, MENA countries should invest in solar power energy.

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) will likely become cost-competitive in the next 12 months, as oil and gas prices are increasing, to oil expected to selling at above US$100 and the costs for CSP technology sinking due to productivity improvements.

“The cost-competitiveness of solar energy will lead to a global boom, and represents a unique opportunity for the Middle East,” said AT Kearney Middle East MD Dr Dirk Buchta. In the past, European and US suppliers in particular have dominated the solar market. This is currently about to change as cheap Chinese suppliers are entering the market, but with low-quality products.

This may be the chance for the Middle East, which is geographically well-positioned to become a future major player. With an average of 310 sunny days a year, and a high annual solar irradiance of over 2 500 kWh/m²/y, the Middle East has more than double the amount of solar energy potential than anywhere in Central Europe.

“The Middle East may benefit from the expected global boom in solar energy through developing its own solar power energy industry, supplying its own demand and parts of the growing global demand for renewable energy,” said AT Kearney Middle East principal Christian von Tschirschky.

“There is an increasing demand for solar technology on a global basis, which may be covered partially by technology and production sites in MENA – why leave it to the Chinese?” he questioned. According to AT Kearney, the Middle East therefore has the opportunity to become a boom centre for solar energy in the next ten years, with an additional 9 000 MW of concentrated solar power capacities until 2020, and more than 40 000 MW until 2030.

This solar generated power will give the Middle East the option to sell its gas and oil at increasing prices to the world market instead of burning it to generate electricity, and also create huge employment opportunities.

‘Beam down’ technology

Masdar, Abu Dhabi’s multifaceted renewable energy initiative, the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, Japan’s Cosmo Oil Company and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have launched an advanced concentrated solar power (CSP) central tower research and development project at Masdar City.

The state-of-the-art, collaborative research project will test an innovative ‘beam down’ technology, which has the potential to convert solar irradiation into electricity in a more efficient way than other technologies – producing a commercially-viable ‘beam down’ process would represent a significant breakthrough in (CSP) technology.

The ‘beam down’ process inverts conventional tower solar tower technologies, which uses mirrors (heliostats) to direct the sun’s rays onto a receiver at the top of a central tower to heat a heat transfer fluid (molten salt, oil, or water) in order to generate steam, which is then used to drive a steam turbine. By placing the receiver at the base of the tower (ground level), the research team believes it can reduce energy losses resulting from pumping the fluid to an elevated receiver, raising operational efficiency and lowering electricity costs.

Talking on the importance of the project and the development of solar power technologies, Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, chief executive of Masdar said: “Solar thermal technology is a key research area for Masdar. The initial project findings have been very positive and, if the results continue to be successful, ‘beam down’ technology has the potential to revolutionise the way in which all solar towers are built in the future.

“Masdar has once again shown its commitment to establishing Abu Dhabi as a global renewable energy hub, consistently raising the bar in terms of our investment in new technologies that serve to create a better tomorrow for us all,” he concluded.