UAE Ministry of Energy in attendance at MENASOL 2012

The future of CSP & PV developments in the UAE will be discussed by key senior level government officials at MENASOL 2012

This week it was confirmed that Mr. Abdullah Mohamed Almutawa, Head of Electricity and Water Desalination Department at the UAE Ministry of Energy, will be attending MENASOL 2012 (16th-17th May, Abu Dhabi),  to discuss the future for the solar industry in the UAE. The exclusive news comes soon after the announcement from Dubai of a Dh12 billion investment in solar power to meet growing energy demands.  The Ministry is one of many in the region who are expected to descend upon Abu Dhabi in May to meet with officials and solar developers to determine a realistic direction for the CSP & PV industry across MENA.

There is a reverberating question circling around the MENA region of whether money can be made from solar in the short to medium term, considering the lack of feed in tariffs and on-the-ground experience which is so vital for solar technology success. In addition, 2011 and 2012 have also thrown up clear risks for solar businesses in the region with doubt cast over the institutional and legal frameworks in place, coupled with significant political instability which is set to undermine the feasibility of getting projects off the ground.

Engaging at MENASOL 2012, the UAE Ministry of Energy will be taking a step in the right direction, devising a strategy to overcome such hurdles that are preventing the development of the solar industry in the region. CSP Today is working in collaboration with official partners UNESCO Cairo Regional Office to have representatives from all Ministries across MENA to be in attendance. As well as government officials, the world’s leading solar companies will also be present such as Abengoa Solar, Torresol Energy, First Solar, Sunpower, Siemens and Masdar, creating a collective effort from those involved in the entire solar supply chain to combat the rising pessimism and solidify solar as the preferred choice for a renewable future in MENA.

For more information on MENASOL 2012 (16th-17th May, Abu Dhabi), visit [http://www.csptoday.com/solar-conference/index.php]