Renewable

January 21 (Renewables Now) - Solar projects with a combined capacity of 4.22 GW were under construction in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region in 2019, the Middle East Solar Industry Association (MESIA) said in its Annual Solar Outlook report 2020.

The projects include: the 1.8-GW Benban solar power complex in Egypt, 1.4 GW out of which have already been commissioned; the 50-MW Al Husainiyah solar park in Jordan; the 120-MW Noor Tafilalet photovoltaic (PV) facility in Morocco; the 1-GW Miraah concentrated solar power (CSP) system in Oman; the 300-MW Sakaka PV park in Saudi Arabia; and the 950-MW Al Maktoum phase 4 (PV plus CSP) in the UAE.

MESIA also provided data on the upcoming solar projects in the region for the 2020-21 period. PV and CSP projects with a total capacity of 4.6 GW have been announced, while a total of 7.1 GW are in the tender phase. PV and CSP projects with a total capacity of 3 GW have been awarded. Another 4.2 GW of projects are planned and 2 GW are expected. In addition, 800 MW of capacity is in development phase.