Largest solar power stations in Kuwait
Top biggest solar photovoltaic power stations in Kuwait.
(Updated 22 July 2021)
See also: Solar Installers in Kuwait
Solar power stations, PV farms 2021 in Kuwait
| Name | Location | State | Capacity MWp or MWAC (*) | Annual Output GWh | Land Size km² | On grid | Remarks | Developer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Kuwait |
50 |
180 |
250 ha |
2019 |
Was commissioned in December 2018 |
KISR |
Solar power in Kuwait
In the past few years, Kuwait has taken significant steps to broaden its energy sources. The Amir of Kuwait has pledged to generate sustainable energy to meet 15 percent of Kuwait's energy demand by 2030. To accomplish His Highness' goal, a variety of initiatives were taken and many projects are launched. By the year 2035, Kuwait is anticipated to release more than 4 times the world's average CO2-equivalent emissions per capita, as per the Kuwait Energy Outlook report released in February 2019. Thus, Kuwaiti authorities are urged to act quickly to counter such occurrences by 2035.
Shagaya Concentrated Solar Power Project
The unique Shagaya Renewable Energy Project was designed by the "Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research" (KISR), and it is the 1st phase of an extensive Master Plan to produce roughly 3.2 gigawatts of power utilizing sustainable sources by 2030. With the commissioning of a 50 MW Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in December 2018, a 10 MW Wind Farm in May 2017, and a 10 MW Photovoltaic (PV) plant in May 2017, Phase I lays the groundwork for future renewable energy initiatives in Kuwait. The Shagaya Renewable Energy Park was officially launched in February 2019.
This 50MW CSP plant is Kuwait's first commercial CSP project. The project, developed by KISR, was awarded an EPC contract in 2015 by a consortium comprising of TSK of Spain and Kuwait's Kharafi National. Shagaya CSP Plant, with a total area of 250 hectares, will produce 180 GWh/year and eliminate CO2 emissions by more than 81,000 tonnes per year.
Dibdibah solar plant
Installation of the Al Dibdibah solar power plant was expected to create half of the country's anticipated renewable production, in accordance with the government's renewable energy ambitions. The plant was to be built on a 3185-hectare plot of land in Kuwait's Shagaya Renewable Energy Park, where the country's first 60-MW experimental renewable energy plant is currently operational. The project was tendered by Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC), which was anticipated to award KD360 million ($1.2 million) in contracts to develop the facility in 2019. Despite the fact that KNPC had intended to sign the construction contracts in 2018, problems in the pre-qualification procedure forced the award date to be pushed back. The project was expected to reduce annual carbon emissions by 1.3 million tonnes while replacing 5.2 million barrels of oil per year. The deadline for completion was set for 2020.
However, recently the Kuwaiti government has scrapped plans to build the 1.5GW Al-Dabdaba solar facility, citing the financial market impact of the coronavirus outbreak.
