INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Green Technology
Solar power will provide
green energy
An inception meeting and training
workshop has been held in Dubai to
discuss establishing the ‘GCC Solar
Photovoltaic Testing Centres Network.’
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority
(DEWA), in co-operation with the
EU-GCC Clean Energy Technology
Network, and in association with
the International Renewable
Energy Agency (IRENA) and other
organisations from the European
Union (EU) and Gulf Co-operation
Council Countries (GCC), were present
at the meeting.
Participants also visited the solar
testing facility at the Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, which
is the largest single-site solar project in
the world.
Science and Technology, and local,
regional, and European utilities and
standardisation organisations. photovoltaic equipment and enhance
the efficiency and performance of
photovoltaic panels.
Participants reviewed best practices on
the methodology and procedures used
to test solar photovoltaic modules. “In this region, we’re blessed with
sunny days all year round. Therefore,
taking advantage of this is a strategic
necessity for the GCC countries,” said
HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD
and CEO of DEWA. The workshop discussed ways to help
photovoltaic testing centres in the
GCC improve their capabilities to meet
international standards and provide
support to transform photovoltaic
labs to strong market players that can
support solar photovoltaic deployment
in the region. “In addition to being a clean and
inexhaustible natural source of energy,
the costs of producing solar power
have decreased in recent years, while
photovoltaic technology has improved
significantly, contributing to the
increase of solar power in the energy
mix in the region. “This supports the vision of His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President
and Prime Minister of the UAE and
Ruler of Dubai, to anticipate the
future, and make Dubai a global hub
for sustainability and green economy
by developing renewable and clean
energy projects.”
Participants in the two-day event
included representatives from
the Spanish National Renewable
Energy Centre (CENER), European
Standardisation Organisations (CEN/
CENELEC), Gulf Standardization
Organisation (GSO), GCC Electrical
Testing Laboratory, Masdar
Institute, King Abdullah University of “At DEWA, we pay great attention to
research and development to develop
the next generation of photovoltaic
solar panels. We collaborate with
the biggest research institutions
in the world and with stakeholders
in the GCC and the EU, to develop
innovative solutions and technologies
to mitigate the effect of dust on
The inception meeting discussed
forming the GCC PV Testing Labs
network, its aims, objectives,
and organisation.
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Al Tayer noted that the research
and development centre at the
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
Solar Park, features two solar testing
facilities. The first specialises in
testing photovoltaic solar panels,
while the second focuses on
Concentrated Solar Power (CSP).
The centre is currently testing over
30 photovoltaic panel types from
global manufacturers to check their
performance, analyse them, and test
their long-term reliability in the local
climate. The tests will set a baseline
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