ACWA Power and Larsen & Toubro Select Nextracker’s All-Terrain Solar Trackers for Al Kahfah Solar Park
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Insights
The announcement of the Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant, with its substantial 1.17 GW capacity, is a significant development for the renewable energy sector, particularly within the Middle East. The project aligns with Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 and the National Renewable Energy Program, aiming to increase the nation's renewable energy mix to 50% by 2030. This strategic move by Nextracker, in partnership with ACWA Power and Larsen & Toubro Limited, could potentially influence the competitive dynamics of the solar energy market by setting new standards for efficiency and sustainability.
The use of the NX Horizon-XTR™ all-terrain solar tracker technology is noteworthy for its environmental and operational benefits. By adapting to natural terrain, the technology minimizes the need for extensive land modification, which can be both costly and environmentally damaging. The reduction in environmental impact and the potential for enhanced energy yield could set a new precedent for future solar projects, possibly leading to wider adoption of similar technologies. As a result, companies within the solar energy supply chain might experience increased demand for sustainable and efficient technologies, possibly affecting stock valuations and investment interest in the sector.
The environmental implications of the Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant's deployment of the NX Horizon-XTR™ tracker are significant. Traditional solar farm construction often involves extensive land grading, which can disrupt ecosystems and contribute to soil erosion. By utilizing an all-terrain tracker that conforms to the existing topography, the project is expected to minimize these environmental concerns. This approach could serve as a model for future renewable energy projects, emphasizing the importance of environmental considerations in infrastructure development.
Moreover, the project's commitment to local content and capacity development within Saudi Arabia is an example of how renewable energy initiatives can stimulate local economies and support domestic industries. By engaging with local partners for raw materials and manufacturing, Nextracker is contributing to the development of a regional supply chain for renewable energy technologies, which may have a positive ripple effect on job creation and economic growth within the Kingdom.
The Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant represents a strategic investment in the Middle East, India and Africa (MEIA) region's renewable energy infrastructure. Nextracker's achievement of over 10 GW of smart solar trackers either operational or under fulfilment in the region highlights the significant growth potential of the solar energy market in these areas. As solar energy becomes increasingly cost-competitive with traditional fossil fuels, we can expect to see a surge in similar large-scale projects.
The localization of Nextracker's supply chain and manufacturing within the region could encourage other companies to follow suit, potentially leading to a more robust and self-reliant renewable energy sector. This could have broader implications for energy security and economic diversification in the MEIA region, making it an attractive market for investors and industry stakeholders looking to capitalize on the global shift towards sustainable energy sources.
- New Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant at 1.17 GW to play key role in Badeel and ACWA Power efforts to advance Saudi National Renewable Energy Program
- NX Horizon-XTR™ all-terrain solar tracker systems to deliver enhanced yield while minimizing environmental impact on project site
- The Al Kahfah project reinforces Nextracker’s commitment to the MEIA region with over 10 GW of smart solar tracking systems either operational or under fulfilment
NX Horizon-XTR featured on a utility-scale solar power plant 250 MW. (Photo: Nextracker)
Al Kahfah is one of the three major solar PV Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects being led by Badeel and ACWA Power. This solar plant will provide clean energy to the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) as part of the renewable energy projects essential to meet the targets of Vision 2030 and the Ministry of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Program to increase renewables in the nation’s energy mix to
The Al Kahfah project will deploy Nextracker’s NX Horizon-XTR smart solar tracker systems. The area the solar plant will occupy is dominated by a hilly, hard-soil land surface that would typically require a combination of explosives and grading machines to flatten the land the new solar tracking system will cover. First delivered in 2018 and proven on dozens of utility scale projects successfully operating around the world, Nextracker’s all-terrain solar tracker system can conform to the natural terrain to reduce the need for costly land grading while significantly reducing environmental impact.
The Al Kahfah project in
As part of its support to ACWA Power and the Al Kahfah project, Nextracker has extended its domestic content and capacity development program in the Kingdom. Nextracker has engaged a range of local partners in providing raw material and manufacturing support for its trackers at plants across the region.
Nextracker previously partnered with ACWA Power and L&T on the Sudair Solar PV Plant (906 MW) to provide its intelligent solar trackers boosting energy generation for these plants.
Dan Shugar, Nextracker founder and CEO said: “We are honored to partner again with both ACWA Power and Larsen & Toubro Ltd for another significant project in the region. Our partnership with these two industry leaders has contributed greatly to Nextracker’s local commitment with over 10 GW of solar trackers already installed or under fulfilment across the MEIA region’s rapidly expanding solar energy market. We are confident that Nextracker will contribute greatly to the Al Kahfah plant—yet another example of Saudi government leadership in the energy transition and of the dominance of solar technology driving the transition to renewables in the region.”
Marco Arcelli, ACWA Power CEO, added: “We are looking forward to a successful commissioning of this important new plant to ensure ongoing delivery of reliable, low-cost clean energy for families and businesses. Our partnerships with technology providers such as Nextracker are essential in supporting our role in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious National Renewable Energy Plan to increase the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix to
Bharathi Kumar, General Manager (Renewable International) of Larsen & Toubro Construction said: “Nextracker’s solutions offer great flexibility to configure solar tracking systems at project sites for premium performance. The pre-assembled components, single-row architecture and robotic cleaning compatibility ensure efficient operations and management over the lifecycle of every project. Nextracker’s robust design with keen emphasis on wind engineering make its trackers most suitable for the region.”
About NX Horizon-XTR™
NX Horizon-XTR, a new variation of the industry-leading smart solar tracker NX Horizon, conforms to the natural terrain, generating a series of benefits, such as:
- Eliminating cut-and-fill earthworks
- Reducing pier lengths
- Easing permitting
- Softening environmental impacts
This new smart solar tracking system also contributes to accelerating project construction schedules that help save time and money.
About Nextracker
Nextracker is a leading provider of intelligent, integrated solar tracker and software solutions used in utility-scale and distributed generation solar projects around the world. Its products enable solar panels to follow the sun’s movement across the sky and optimize plant performance. With plants operating in more than thirty countries worldwide, Nextracker offers solar tracker technologies that increase energy production while reducing costs for significant plant ROI. For more information, visit Nextracker. Stay in touch with us: X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
About ACWA Power
ACWA Power (TADAWUL:2082) is a Saudi-listed company and the world’s largest private water desalination company, the first mover into green hydrogen, and a leader in energy transition. Registered and established in 2004 in
About Larsen & Toubro Limited
Larsen & Toubro is a
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Jacob Drake (on behalf of Nextracker)
jacob.drake@360stratcomms.com
Sowmya Sriram (
ssriram@nextracker.com
Kristan Kirsh (global)
kkirsh@nextracker.com
Source: Nextracker
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