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Saudi Arabia to Launch 4 New Solar Projects within Renewable Energy Program

A Saudi man looks at the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia April 10, 2018. (Reuters)
A Saudi man looks at the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia April 10, 2018. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia to Launch 4 New Solar Projects within Renewable Energy Program

A Saudi man looks at the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia April 10, 2018. (Reuters)
A Saudi man looks at the solar plant in Uyayna, north of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia April 10, 2018. (Reuters)

Saudi Arabia is about to launch four giant projects to produce solar photovoltaic systems within a national renewable energy program.

The Kingdom’s Energy Ministry issued a request for qualifications from companies looking to take part in the third round of its national renewable energy program, according to a statement released by Saudi Press Agency.

The third round includes four solar photovoltaic projects with a combined generation capacity of 1,200 MW, according to the statement.

In March 2018, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, signed a MoU with Masayoshi Son, Chairman of the Softbank Vision Fund, to establish the largest solar energy project in the Kingdom, which will produce 200 GW at a cost of USD 200 billion.

Eng. Faisal Al-Yemni, Head of the Renewable Energy Projects Development Office (REPDO) stated that the projects within Round Three will carry a minimum requirement of 17 percent local content as calculated by the mechanism defined by the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority, which aims to increase the value-added contribution of products and services in the national economy, according to the statement.

Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) is a long-term, multifaceted renewable energy program designed to balance the domestic power mix, in parallel with the implementation of the Kingdom’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to avoid carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions, directly supporting Vision 2030.

The National Renewable Energy Program aims to substantially increase the share of renewable energy in the power energy mix.

On July 18, 2019, REPDO launched Round Two of the NREP, which comprised six solar PV projects amounting to 1,470 MW. The deadline for receiving proposals for Round Two projects is Jan. 20, 2020, and Feb. 3, 2020, for categories B and A respectively.

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China Says It May Speed up Rare Earths Application Approvals from EU

A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011. Picture taken July 16, 2011. (Reuters)
A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011. Picture taken July 16, 2011. (Reuters)
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China Says It May Speed up Rare Earths Application Approvals from EU

A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011. Picture taken July 16, 2011. (Reuters)
A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011. Picture taken July 16, 2011. (Reuters)

China is willing to accelerate the examination and approval of rare earth exports to European Union firms, its commerce ministry said on Saturday.

Price commitment consultations between China and the EU on Chinese-made electric vehicles exported to the EU have also entered a final stage but efforts from both sides are still needed, according to a statement on the Chinese commerce ministry's website.

The issues were discussed between Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic in Paris on Tuesday, according to the statement.

The comments mark progress on matters that have vexed China's relationship with the European Union over the past year.

Most recently, China's decision in April to suspend exports of a wide range of rare earths and related magnets has upended the supply chains central to automakers, aerospace manufacturers, semiconductor companies and military contractors around the world.

The ministry said China attached great importance to the EU's concerns and "was willing to establish a green channel for qualified applications to speed up the approval process."

Commerce Minister Wang during the meeting "expressed the hope that the EU will meet us halfway and take effective measures to facilitate, safeguard and promote compliant trade in high-tech products to China," according to the statement.

In April, the European Commission said the EU and China had also agreed to look into setting minimum prices of Chinese-made electric vehicles instead of tariffs imposed by the EU last year.

China's commerce ministry said the EU had also proposed exploring "new technical paths" relating to EVs, which the Chinese side was now evaluating.