DUBAI: Abu Dhabi is to get some renewable energy. Last week, Canadian Solar reported it was partnering with al-Fahad Group in the United Arab Emirates to supply the UAE capital with some 1.5 megawatts of new solar power. It comes as the Abu Dhabi continues to push forward on plans to create more renewable energy sources. The city was among the highest per capita energy users in the world, and the government hopes new solar power projects can push the city on the path to a greener future. The new deal is the first between Canadian Solar and the UAE's leading energy provider al-Fahad, the Canadian company's spokesman Daniel Heck said in a press statement published by Clean Energy Authority. “Canadian Solar is marketing in the Middle East,” Heck said. “The Middle East is a high potential market for our panels.” The oil-rich UAE has led the charge toward renewable energy with some major and high-profile solar projects like those in Masdar City, a completely sustainable new development designed to be carbon neutral. As the country embraces renewable energy in the midst of its tremendous wealth from oil development, other countries in the Middle East have taken notice, and the area is near the top of the list of areas around the world where solar could take off. Canadian Solar said it has “been working on developing relationships, partnerships and marketing efforts in the Middle East for the last several years,” Heck said. According to the company, it will employ its CS5A-M solar modules in the ground-mounted Abu Dhabi project. “While many Middle Eastern solar projects act as research grounds to test different technologies against one another, the solar Abu Dhabi array will only contain Canadian Solar modules,” Heck said. He said the North American company was selected because its panels, the ones that will be used in Abu Dhabi in particular, are well-suited to the environment and climate in the UAE. “Canadian Solar is well known for its high-quality, high-performing and very reliable modules under any conditions,” Heck said. “Our modules have passed all international testing conditions and have the required certificates.” BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/e0SsR Tags: Abu Dhabi, Canada, Energy, Power, Solar Section: Environment, Going Green, Latest News, United Arab Emirates
