WASTE MANAGEMENT-

#1- Tadweeer to expand capacity with new production lines: The Saudi National Environmental Recycling Company (Tadweeer) has completed a SAR 29.4 mn (c. USD 8 mn) agreement to acquire new production lines from various European manufacturers for its factories in Riyadh, according to a disclosure issued on Wednesday. The high-efficiency lines will increase the company’s recycling capacity to 500k tons annually, focusing on recycling and producing iron, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, and precious metals. Delivery and installation are set for completion by August 2025. No further details have been disclosed.

#2- Qatar gets a new battery recycling plant: Qatar-based luxury real estate developer JMJ Group Holding has inaugurated a large-scale lead-acid battery recycling plant — dubbed Nafees Batteries — that will convert lead-acid batteries into lead alloy ingots, Trade Arabia reported last week. The plant — located in the Mesaieed region — aims to reduce waste, decrease reliance on imported materials, and increase energy efficiency.

Not JMJ’s first green project: The company’s subsidiary QD Recycling Factory inaugurated another recycling plant in 2023 for ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal to produce a range of aluminum and copper-based alloys. JMJ also signed an MoU with the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development to expand green building practices across its projects using GORD's Global Sustainability Assessment System.

SOLAR-

#1- One step forward for Eksim Energy’s PV park: Renewables firm Eksim Energi completed the first 45 MW phase of the 191.4 MW Şanlıurfa Viranşehir solar PV plant in southeastern Turkey has begun commercial operations, Balkan Green Energy News reported on Tuesday. The plant is located on 280 hectares of land in the southeastern Şanlıurfa province. The company was awarded the power purchase agreement and a 30-year concession for the project during a renewable energy auction in 2022. Eksim Energi wants to add 1.5 GW of renewable energy capacity to its domestic and international portfolio by 2029, targeting reaching a total of 2.2 GW capacity.

#2- KarmSolar almost triples capacity with new partnerships: Solar energy utility KarmSolar has partnered with three Egypt-based agribusinesses to nearly triple its contracted electricity supply capacity to 8.37 MW in the Farafra Solar Grid, according to a press release (pdf) published on Monday. The company has agreed to supply 2 MW of electricity to potato exporter Daltex, and 3.17 MVA to Al Mazare’ for food manufacturing and cooling, and Al Hoda for land rehabilitation and cultivation. The expansion — to be funded by equity investments — is part of a microgrid that integrates solar PV panels, battery storage, and diesel generators into a centralized distribution network.

REMEMBER- KarmSolar secured EGP 83 mn in funding in 2023 from our friends at HSBC to develop a solar grid in Farafra, the company’s second microgrid after the Marsa Alam Solar Grid. The company also signed up Juhayna and Nawa for Agricultural Investment as offtakers and secured exclusive power distribution rights for the 67k-acre stretch of land the grid is located on.

GREEN MANUFACTURING-

The National Environmental Recycling Co. (Tadweer) purchased production lines worth SAR 23.4 mn for its Riyadh factories, it said in a disclosure to Tadawul on Tuesday. The new equipment is expected to come online in August this year, allowing it to raise production and recycling capacity to 500k tons of iron, copper, aluminum, precious metals, and stainless steel.

DEBT WATCH-

The Opec Fund is providing a USD 35 mn loan to the Uzbekistan state-backed, joint-stock Asaka Bank to finance climate action and agricultural projects, according to a press release issued on Monday. The bank will on-lend the money to SMEs and agribusinesses to help them acquire more advanced technology and expand their market presence.

Why it matters? The country’s agriculture sector accounts for 25% of its GDP, but the sector has been struggling with climate change-induced extreme weather and water scarcity, as well as limited financial support for mitigation.

The fund has been busy: The Mauritanian government and the Opec Fund for International Development signed a framework agreement last month for USD 120 mn in financing targeting sustainability and clean energy projects from 2025-27. It also signed a EUR 50 mn loan agreement with the Development Bank of Turkey to support on-lending investments into renewable energy expansion, energy efficiency, climate resilience, and technology development.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

  • Acwa opens first overseas innovation center in China: Saudi Arabia’s Acwa Power has inaugurated its first overseas innovation center in Shanghai’s Pudong New Area, investing USD 2.8 mn for the initial phase. The company has inked MoUs with Gulf Renewables Laboratory and Shanghai Jiao Tong University to boost technical expertise and research collaborations on solar PVs, wind, energy storage, green hydrogen, and seawater desalination. (Press release)
  • Iraq to transition government buildings to solar: Iraq has launched a project to switch almost 5k government buildings to a solar power system, with the first phase targeting 543 ministries, public hospitals, schools, and government offices in Baghdad. The program includes solar water heaters and will include smart meters in the future. (Iraq News Agency)
  • Yellow Door + SIG kick off 2 MW project in Riyadh: Emirati renewable energy developer Yellow Door Energy and Switzerland-based sustainable packaging tech provider SIG have inaugurated their 2 MW solar project in Riyadh. The 8k sqm venture boasts upwards of 3.2k solar panels and aims to reduce carbon emissions by 1.3k tons per year. (Press release)
  • Duqm Port explores clean energy, EV charging with OOMCO: Port of Duqm Company and Oman Oil Marketing Company (OOMCO) have inked an MoU to explore the deployment of solar energy systems, biofuels, and EV charging stations at the port. (Oman Observer)
  • Palm Gateway taps Empower for cooling services: Empower will provide 9.47k RT of sustainable district cooling to the Palm Gateway project in Palm Jumeirah. The project will become operational in 2Q 2026. (Press Release.pdf)
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