Iraq inks MoU for solar project with UGT Renewables: Iraq’s Electricity Ministry has inked an MoU with US-based UGT Renewables to develop a 3 GW capacity integrated solar energy project, alongside battery storage systems of up to 500 MWh, according to a statement issued Wednesday. The project will be financed through a mix of public and private international lenders, including US Export-Import Bank, UK Export Finance, and JP Morgan, which will act as lead arranger. The investment ticket, timeline, and site locations were not disclosed.

There’s more: The agreement also covers the modernization of Iraq’s electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure, including the construction of up to 1k km of new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) lines and providing for a two-year window for tech transfer, training, operations, and maintenance.

Late to the party: Iraq has no operational renewable projects, according to Dii’s MENA Energy Outlook 2025 (pdf). However, the government has lined up its first major solar project, with the Basra Investment Commission finalizing an agreement with TotalEnergies in February to build a 1 GW solar power plant in partnership with QatarEnergy at a cost of USD 820 mn. It was then reported last year that the first operating phase was set to begin in 2025.

But picking up: The Iraqi government’s upcoming solar energy projects — set to be rolled out in the summer — have attracted interest from 150 companies, INA reported last week. Iraq’s National Team for Renewable Energy Projects will undertake these projects, with a focus on managing consumption via smart meters and efficient solar energy systems, the entity’s head Karim Naseer told INA. The Iraqi government launched a program last month to use smart meters and solar water heaters to convert almost 5k government buildings to a solar power system.

MORE REGIONAL SOLAR UPDATES

Chinese Chint Group’s solar unit Astroenergy will build a USD 500 mn solar cell factory in Turkey, according to a statement issued late March. The facility will produce TOPCon 4.0 solar cells, the company’s latest version of the more energy-efficient tunnel oxide passivated contact solar cells. About 80% of the output is earmarked for exports.

Part of a bigger initiative: The project would fall under Turkey’s USD 30 bn High-TechIncentive Program (HIT-30), which was launched in July 2024. The program covers electric vehicles, battery production, semiconductor manufacturing, and energy, and aims to establish Turkey as a regional battery production hub, with a USD 4.5 bn incentive package up for grabs.

Not the company’s first investment in the country: Astroenergy had previously invested in a PV module factory in Turkey, which reached 850 MW of production capacity last month, a company spokesperson told PV Magazine earlier this month.

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