Abu Dhabi: Rooftop solar panels installed on 15 buildings in Abu Dhabi are generating clean energy, which help reduce carbon emissions caused by power generation from fossil fuels.
This capacity is set to increase as Abu Dhabi is in the process of issuing licences to 30 more buildings under the Rooftop Solar Pilot Project, a senior official of the Regulation and Supervision Bureau (the Bureau), told Gulf News on Sunday.
“We have issued four licences so far [to the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, the German School, Al Ain Zoo and Masdar Institute under Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company]. We are in the process of issuing around 30 more [for schools operating under Abu Dhabi Educational Council] ,” Nick Carter, Director-General of the Bureau, said.
The Bureau is the independent regulatory body for the water, wastewater and electricity sector of the emirate of Abu Dhabi. The Bureau has established a regulatory framework with the two distribution companies, Abu Dhabi Distribution Company (ADDC) and Al Ain Distribution Company (AADC), to allow the private installation and generation of electricity using photovoltaic (PV) power. The framework includes a special Self-Regulating Licence and an inspection programme for all would-be self-generators.
As Gulf News reported in September 2011, Masdar and Abu Dhabi Water and Electricity Authority (ADWEA) had jointly installed PV solar rooftop installations on 11 government and private buildings in Abu Dhabi. The 2.3MW (megawatt) of PV panels installed on the rooftops of various buildings generate 4.025 GWh (gigawatt Hour) per year of electricity, saving around 3,220 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
Carter said these installations are also under the pilot project. As they are mainly government buildings, the Bureau is in the process of issuing individual licences to them.
“The combined capacity of our current three licensees using PV panels on their rooftops is 264 kW (kilowatt hour). Additionally, there is 2.1MW installed capacity in relation to our Solar Roof Panel Pilot [project],” the official said.
These installations are set to allow customers to meet their own power needs and supply any excess electricity generated back into the broader grid.
However, at this stage none of the installations to date meet the total demand of the particular buildings, Carter said.
Asked about the cost and financial benefits of the rooftop solar panels, he said the total cost of solar power generation is still higher than the cost of conventional generation. But the costs of solar power are reducing all the time.
Solar PV costs fell by two-thirds between the end of 2009 and 2013, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena). In Germany, almost half of all renewable generation is now owned by households and farmers, the agency sad.
Carter said that currently there are no additional incentives provided for installing rooftop solar panels in Abu Dhabi. However, entities interested in reducing their carbon footprint as well as those looking to enhance the overall efficiency performance of their buildings are installing solar panels. Educational institutions are also using the solar systems for educational purposes, Carter said.
A press release issued by the Bureau on Sunday said Abu Dhabi is leading a solar power revolution with the rooftop solar panel project.
Support for renewable energy schemes in not new in Abu Dhabi. Already home to Asia’s largest concentrated solar power installation, the 110 MW Shams 1, it also generates solar photovoltaic energy at Masdar City (10MW). This is now being supplemented by an increasing push on the customer side of the electricity network to install PV panels.
“The results of these small-scale solar power installations have been extremely encouraging, to the point where we expect to see property owners across the emirate wishing to install their own PV panels on their roofs in the next few years,” the Bureau said.
“Every unit of electricity generated by solar power is one less generated by gas. By identifying and implementing solutions that address the growing demand for energy alongside highlighting the need to conserve our water and electricity supplies through a change in consumption behaviour, the sector is making real progress to ensure sustainable resources for future generations,” the Bureau said.
