With PV projects coming online and a strong potential pipeline, international companies have turned to Saudi Arabia to provide the next big market.

This week it was heavily reported that Suntech and Phoenix Solar had completed their 3.5MW Saudi Arabia project at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). The project is owned by Saudi Aramco, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project marks another milestone achieved by the photovoltaic industry in the Kingdom, as the prospects for PV continue to rise.

As has been well documented, a monumental target of 16GW of PV has been outlined by KA-CARE in the Saudi Arabia solar objectives. Now, a complete assessment of the opportunities open to PV developers and manufacturers is required, which is not exclusive to the on-grid market.

Raed Bkayrat, Head of the Technology Application and Advancement Group at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) told PV Insider this week that "Hybrid applications are the low hanging fruit in Saudi Arabia and is the immediate market."

At the MENASOL 2013 conference (14-15 May, Dubai) the prospects for PV in Saudi Arabia will be addressed in detail. Bkayrat will discuss KAUST's 2MW PV system with the latest data from the installation, as well as the operation and maintenance challenges facing PV plants.

To see more, visit www.pv-insider.com/menasol

Contact information

Matt Carr
PV Insider
matt@pv-insider.com