SOLAR-

#1- China’s TrinaTracker opens its Saudi 3 GW manufacturing facility: Trinasolar subsidiary and solar tracking solutions firm TrinaTracker has inaugurated its 3 GW manufacturing facility — dubbed Trina Tracker for Renewable Energy — in the 3rd Industrial City in Jeddah, according to a press release from Wednesday. The factory will begin production within this quarter.

The details: The factory will produce its Vanguard series of solar trackers and smart control systems. The facility will be TrinaTracker’s fourth production plant, after those it have in China, Spain, and Brazil. The plant will run a zero-emissions process and is expected to speed up delivery, technical support, and sales.

LEGISLATION WATCH-

Jordan cabinet advances electricity law draft: Jordan’s Council of Ministers has approved the 2025 electricity law draft, including provisions to attract investments in green hydrogen and energy storage, according to a statement published on Wednesday. The bill is yet to be added to the House of Representatives’ agenda.

We first heard about this draft in November last year, with reports saying that it would include provisions facilitating companies and households’ ability to establish and manage their own energy storage facilities and introduce a licensing scheme managed by the Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission to regulate the sector, issue licenses, mitigate external shocks by boosting local renewable production.

What’s new: The draft law also aims to bolster investment in green hydrogen projects by adding clauses on autonomous generation and transmission of electricity, Jordan’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Saleh A. Al-Kharabsheh said.

DECARBONIZATION-

Ewec opens 1Q 2025 CECs auction: Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) has opened registrations for its 1Q 2025 Clean Energy Certificates (CECs) auction, according to a press release issued on Wednesday. CECs enable companies to reduce Scope 2 emissions. The auction is scheduled to close on 14 March.

ICYMI- The CECs include wind energy CECs after Ewec debuted the certificates in 3Q 2024. They were also included in the company’s 4Q 2024 registration.

WASTE MANAGEMENT-

#1- NWC expands wastewater treatment capacity at Riyadh site: Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company (NWC) inaugurated the third phase of its wastewater treatment plant in the south of Riyadh, doubling the total capacity for the facility to be 400k cubic meters, according to a press release from Tuesday. The expansion is part of the company’s SAR 387 mn (c. USD 103 mn) plan to boost its infrastructure, coverage, and efficiency.

Part of a bigger plan: The NWC pledged to invest EUR 200 bn by 2030 in projects that support its goal of providing safe and efficient water and sanitation. Under Saudi’s National Transformation Program, NWC works on preserving the country’s natural resources through optimal utilization of water resources, conservation and maximum utilization of renewable water.

#2- ATR + CDE ink agreement for wet processing tech in Qatar: Advanced Technology Recycling has inked an agreement with Australia’s CDE to deploy wet processing technology for construction and demolition (C&D) waste, according to a press release issued last week. The agreement will see CDE supply equipment to ATR to efficiently recover resources from construction waste.

About CDE: The company specializes in wet processing solutions that transform waste materials — including C&D waste, contaminated soils, and industrial byproducts — into reusable resources, according to its website. Its technology is used in sectors including infrastructure, mining, and environmental remediation.

INFRASTRUCTURE-

Hyundai bags yet another Saudi transmission line order: Hyundai Engineering & Construction has been commissioned by the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) to construct two transmission lines worth USD 389 mn as part of the Solar Power Generation Linked 380kV Transmission Line Construction Project, according to a press release from Monday. The first line will span 311 km and connect a planned solar plant in Humaijee to a substation near Medina. The second line in Jeddah will be 180 km long and connect a planned solar plant in Kulis to existing power lines near Mecca. Both lines are expected to be completed by November 2027.

Hyundai E&C is doing plenty in Saudi: The engineering firm secured a USD 713.9 mn contract from the SEC in November for the construction of a 369-km section of the 500-kilovolt 1,089-km high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting Riyadh with Kudmi in southwestern Saudi Arabia. The company was also commissioned last year to build another HVDC transmission line linking Neom with the southwestern port city of Yanbu. Hyundai was also awarded a USD 145 mn contract last year to build a 525 KV HVDC transmission line connecting Saudi Arabia’s net zero city Neom to cities across the country.

GREEN PARTNERSHIPS-

Emirati and French firms inked green partnership agreements at the third meeting of the UAE-France High-Level Business Council in Paris, according to a press release published on Monday. Masdar, TotalEnergies, and International Holding Company’s investment subsidiary 2PointZero will partner to bolster clear energy in emerging African and Asian economies. Adnoc and French waste and water management company Veolia will also cooperate to increase water consumption efficiency through water recycling, consumption minimization, emissions reductions, and establishing a framework targeting water loss reduction.

M&A WATCH-

ADX-listed IHC restructures its energy infrastructure units: UAE’s IHC subsidiary and smart city solutions provider 2PointZero acquired a “significant stake” in Abu Dhabi energy distributor Enterprise Holding Investment (EHC), according to a joint statement published last Friday. This is a related party transaction given that EHC is also a unit of IHC, and comes in a bid to boost 2PointZero’s energy platform, EPointZero.

What’s next? Under the acquisition, 2PointZero will roll out advanced smart grid technologies, AI-powered analytics, and advanced monitoring systems to boost energy distribution efficiency across the country.

GEOTHERMAL-

EDF + Taqa to partner on geothermal energy in Saudi Arabia: EDF Saudi Arabia and Taqa Geothermal Energy Company have signed an MoU to partner on geothermal energy on the sidelines of the PIF Private Sector Forum, according to a press release from last week. The pair will collaborate on geothermal energy generation, HVAC applications, space cooling system applications, and compressed air energy storage.

REMEMBER- Taqa established the Taqa Geothermal Energy Company with Iceland’s Reykjavik Geothermal in Riyadh in 2023 to build up a generation capacity of 1 GW of geothermal power. It also has over 266 geothermal wells drilled in Turkey and Eastern Europe.

GREEN HYDROGEN-

Ohmium launches new Abu Dhabi operations hub: US-based Ohmium International — which designs and manufactures Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzers — has opened a Rapid Response Service Center in Abu Dhabi, according to a press release from last week. The center will provide maintenance and refurbishment services to the UAE hydrogen production market, allowing targeted repairs that can have individual parts of its PEM system fixed and returned to the center within three days rather than four to five weeks.

Ohmium is not new to the UAE: The hydrogen solutions firm partnered with Emirates Steel Arkan and Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa University in December 2023 to develop a green hydrogen-focused research and development program for decarbonizing the UAE’s steel industry. Emirates Steel Arkan planned to build on the research to produce Direct Reduced Iron and expand in the green steel sector.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

  • Aqaba greenlights land use reforms to suit H2 projects: The Board Commissioners of Jordan’s Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) has approved amendments to land use regulations in the southern industrial zone to support green hydrogen projects. (Petra)
  • PIF-backed Ceer to roll out first EV models later this year: Saudi Arabia’s first EV maker Ceer plans to launch its first two models — a sedan and an E-Class-SUV — by late 2025, aiming to start production & sales in 2026. The automaker is pushing to localize its supply chain, inking 11 agreements worth SAR 5.5 bn (c.USD 1.5 bn) at the PIF Public Sector Forum last week, primarily with Saudi firms. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
  • Qatar opens land plots for recycling factories in Al Afja: Qatar’s Municipality Ministry and the Commerce and Industry Ministry will offer 30 land plots for recycling factories in the Al Afja Recycling Industries Zone. Investment windows cover recycling paper, wood, plastic, glass, used fabrics, e-waste, animal waste, and food waste. Registration will run from 21 May till 21 August. (The Peninsula)
  • Cenomi Centers + EVIQ to expand Saudi EV charging infrastructure: Cenomi Centers has tapped Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company (EVIQ) to install electric vehicle fast-charging hubs across its 22 centers in Saudi Arabia, including Mall of Arabia Jeddah, Mall of Dhahran, and Nakheel Mall Riyadh. (Statement, pdf)
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