Saudi projects hit milestone pricing: Saudi Arabia has secured ‘record-low pricing’ for 4.9 GWh of battery energy storage systems (BESS) capacity at a nominal installed pricing of $73/kWh to $75/kWh. This comprises 2 new 500 MW / 4-hour rated systems with 2.45 GWh installed capacity and built with 5 years of overbuild to account for degradation as auctioned by the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) in Tabuk and Hail in Saudi Arabia. This is down from the earlier estimate of 2.6 GWh. The development marks a significant milestone for energy storage economics outside China, stressed Marek Kubik, the Director of Energy Storage at NEOM and Ex-Founder of Fluence, in a LinkedIn post. According to him, the confirmed energy storage system (ESS) supply pricing has been determined as $179 million for Tabuk and $183 million for Hail, while the nominal installed pricing inferred is $73/kWh and $75/kWh.
The adjustment in capacity is believed to reflect HiTHIUM’s new 1,175 Ah large-format LFP cells, designed for long-duration energy storage (LDES) with improved degradation performance for long-duration applications such as solar shifting. HiTHIUM recently announced securing SEC contracts for the Tabuk and Hail regions (see Middle East & Africa Solar PV News Snippets).
MBR Solar Park update: With 1.8 GW planned capacity, Phase VI of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park (MBR Solar Park) in Dubai is now close to 68.59% complete, according to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA). Of the total capacity in this phase, 1 GW is now operational, comprising more than 2.236 million solar PV panels. Upon completion in 2026, the project will be equipped with close to 3.959 million panels. This phase is being built by Masdar, which won the project by offering the lowest levelized cost of energy (LCOE), back in 2023 (see $0.016215/kWh For 1.8 GW Solar Project In Dubai). By 2030, the MBR Solar Park is targeted to expand to a total operational capacity of 7.26 GW, up from its original 5 GW. At present, its production capacity is 3.86 GW, with an additional 800 MW under construction.
DEWA is set to launch the tender for Phase VII of the MBR Solar Park with 2 GW of solar and 1.4 GW/6-hour BESS capacity.
Solar-on-Tower: Ethiopian telecom operator Ethio Telecom and Huawei have commissioned the 1st batch of Solar-on-Tower solution in the country. The solution integrates solar panels on telecom towers installed by Ethio Telecom. It will enable solar generation on-site for up to 4 hours and reduce the use of diesel generators from 6 hours to 2 hours/site. The duo aims to reduce the use of limited land resources with this innovative solar application.
NCREEIC in Nigeria: The Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) has established the National Committee on Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Innovation & Certification (NCREEIC). It has been tasked with advancing innovation and research in clean energy solutions, including solar, wind, hydro, and bioenergy. The new organization will be the national hub for setting standards and certifications to meet global benchmarks; foster collaboration between the state agencies, private sector, academia, and the international players; and promote local content development to empower Nigerian innovators and industries. “The NCREEIC positions Nigeria as a trailblazer in renewable energy innovation and certification across the region,” stated ECN.
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