The announcement was made by Saudi Arabia Energy Ministry’s the Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO). It released the request for proposals (RfP) and has qualified 25 companies for the Dumat Al Jandal wind project.
The wind project is part of the kingdom’s commitment towards renewable energy under its National Renewable Energy Program (NREP). The focus of this long-term programme is to increase the share of renewable energy in the total energy mix, by targeting 3.45GW by 2020 and 9.5GW by 2023.
The qualified companies have been categorised as ‘managing members’ or ‘technical members’ or both, depending upon their experience in delivering such utility-scale projects. Now these companies will enter the RfP stage.
The companies selected in the tender both as managing member and technical member include Acciona Energía Global, EDF Energies Nouvelles, Enel Green Power, General Electric (GE), Korean Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Marubeni, and Siemens Project Ventures, among others.
Selection by REPDO is considered to be the second of the two tenders for round one of the NREP. Saudi invited biddings back in July and interested companies had time till Aug 10 to submit their qualifications to Saudi’s Energy Ministry. In next January, the bidding for the wind power project is set to close.
First round of NREP also includes 300MW solar PV in Sakaka, Al Jour region. Bidding for this project will take place in early October and winning bids will be announced by the end of November.
The Dumat Al Jandal wind and Sakaka solar projects are both 100% private IPP programmes. And, these programmes will be supported by 20-year and 25-year power purchase agreements, respectively.
Saudi Arabia Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Khalid Al-Falih said: “We are moving forward to diversify the Kingdom’s energy mix and to build a more sustainable and cleaner energy system that benefits Saudi Arabia and its citizens. Round two of the NREP will be launched before the end of this year, keeping us firmly on track to deliver 9.5GW of renewable energy by 2023.”
“The NREP will build economic resilience and deliver real economic benefits by creating more than 7000 jobs, increasing Saudi Arabia’s non-oil GDP and nurturing a clean tech startup industry; it is a program designed to boost the domestic renewable value chain and encourage foreign 2 direct investment in the Kingdom, bringing prosperity to our citizens as part of the goals established in Vision 2030.”
Image: Saudi Arabia qualifies 25 companies in 400MW wind project tender. Photo: Courtesy of Andrew Purtell/FreeImages.com.
