World's Largest Solar Thermal Plant Opens In Saudi Arabia
The world's largest solar thermal system for water heating recently opened in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new one is almost double the size of what was previously the largest solar water heating facility (located in Denmark), and it will generate enough power to heat water for a university of 40 thousand students. The Millennium Energy company was responsible for the design and build of the solar thermal plant and the GREENTecONE, an Austrian solar design company, supplied the solar panels for the project.
The 36 thousand square meter rooftop system is the size of five soccer fields and was built at a cost of US$ 14 million. The solar technology is just one of the many features that will make the new US$ 11.5 billion Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University for Women in Riyadh a showcase for environmental innovation. The project is also a signal that countries in the Middle East, which have become wealthy thanks to fossil fuels, are now planning for post-oil future.
Plentiful sun shines down on Saudi Arabia, and the solar panels that allow this project to run are massive. Each one covers 10 square meters and weighs 170 kilograms. The panels have a transparent coating to enhance their performance, and they also require a special mounting system to keep them bolted to the roofs when Saudi Arabia's notoriously vicious sandstorms hit Riyadh.
Watch for similar projects to appear in Saudi Arabia the coming decade. The Kingdom has set a goal for 10 percent of its energy to come from solar power by 2020. Currently oil is plentiful, and over half of Saudi Arabia's electricity comes from the country's black gold. But with oil pricing at over US$ 100 a barrel, it makes economic sense for Saudi Arabia to reduce their dependency at home and export more of it abroad. With the country expected to grow even more in the coming years, Saudi Arabia could become a global leader in solar power generation.
The $14 million renewable solar energy development includes a 36,000 square metre rooftop solar energy system that will cater to the hot water needs of the 40,000 students at the city's Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University for Women. The 10 square metre solar panels have been provided by Austrian firm GREENTecOne. After a six month trial period, each one of the six solar fields has been uncovered and six tanks of 150m3 have been built to store excess solar heat at 110 C.
The 36 thousand square meter rooftop system is the size of five soccer fields and was built at a cost of US$ 14 million. The solar technology is just one of the many features that will make the new US$ 11.5 billion Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University for Women in Riyadh a showcase for environmental innovation. The project is also a signal that countries in the Middle East, which have become wealthy thanks to fossil fuels, are now planning for post-oil future.
Plentiful sun shines down on Saudi Arabia, and the solar panels that allow this project to run are massive. Each one covers 10 square meters and weighs 170 kilograms. The panels have a transparent coating to enhance their performance, and they also require a special mounting system to keep them bolted to the roofs when Saudi Arabia's notoriously vicious sandstorms hit Riyadh.
Watch for similar projects to appear in Saudi Arabia the coming decade. The Kingdom has set a goal for 10 percent of its energy to come from solar power by 2020. Currently oil is plentiful, and over half of Saudi Arabia's electricity comes from the country's black gold. But with oil pricing at over US$ 100 a barrel, it makes economic sense for Saudi Arabia to reduce their dependency at home and export more of it abroad. With the country expected to grow even more in the coming years, Saudi Arabia could become a global leader in solar power generation.
The $14 million renewable solar energy development includes a 36,000 square metre rooftop solar energy system that will cater to the hot water needs of the 40,000 students at the city's Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University for Women. The 10 square metre solar panels have been provided by Austrian firm GREENTecOne. After a six month trial period, each one of the six solar fields has been uncovered and six tanks of 150m3 have been built to store excess solar heat at 110 C.
