The estimated $150 million power station would be Turkey’s first grid-connected wave energy station, and according to Eco Wave Power, upon completion would be the world’s largest wave energy power station.

The agreement will see Ordu Enerji assign nine suitable breakwaters to Eco Wave Power for a period of 25 years, while Eco Wave Power will build and commission the power plant and sell the electricity to be generated according to an approved production quota.

The 77MW power station is planned to be constructed in several stages, starting with an up to 4MW pilot station.

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Inna Braverman, founder and CEO of Eco Wave Power said in a statement: “…this relationship will allow us to provide clean electricity from Turkish waves, for the very first time. With ambitious sustainability goals and regional proximity to our headquarters, Turkey is an interesting location to further implement and develop our innovative wave energy technology.”

Since 2019, Ordu Enerji, a subsidiary of Ordu Metropolitan Municipality, has increased its focus on developing and deploying renewable energy technologies.

Mustafa Kemal Macit, president and CEO of Ordu Enerji commented: “With the goal to build a self-sufficient grid, Ordu sees Eco Wave Power as an important asset to fully realizing our potential for 100% clean energy. The entire municipality of Ordu is excited to fully realize the sea’s potential and use its unlimited source of energy to power our electrical grid. This project demonstrates that Ordu Enerji is committed to investing in innovative clean energy technologies.”

Mustafa Kemal Macit, president and CEO of Ordu Enerji and Sefa Okutucu, Head of Environmental Protection and Control Department of Ordu Municipality, visited Eco Wave Power’s newest grid-connected power station in the Port of Jaffa in Israel. This visit was followed by an official signing ceremony held at Eco Wave Power’s offices in Tel Aviv.

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The system was developed by Brenmiller Energy in Israel, and integrated into Enel Group’s Santa Barbara power plant to validate its performance in a real environment.

According to Brenmiller Energy, the system offers reduced power plant start-up times and greater speed in load variations.

The system can be used to store excess energy produced from renewable sources in the form of heat to offer decarbonisation services to industrial customers and to integrate long-term storage solutions with renewable plants.

The storage technology utilises a two-stage charge and discharge process to provide thermal energy.

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During the charging phase, steam produced by Enel Group’s Santa Barbara facility, passes through pipes to heat adjacent crushed rocks; during the discharging phase, the accumulated heat is released to heat pressurised water and generate steam for electricity.

This storage system can store up to 24MWh of clean heat at a temperature of about 550°C for five hours, providing critical resiliency to the power plant.

“Flexibility and adequacy are two fundamental components of an efficient and reliable electricity system, which can be supplied more and more efficiently by storage,” said Salvatore Bernabei, head of Enel Green Power and Thermal Generation at Enel.

“This trial allows us to validate a family of innovative and sustainable technologies in the segment of long-term storage, which will allow for an ever greater integration of renewables into the grid.”

Avi Brenmiller, chairman of Brenmiller Energy, said the system at the Santa Barbara plant “is the first-ever of its kind to provide utility-scale thermal energy storage and offers commercial and industrial users a viable path towards decarbonisation”.

“We believe the success of this moment reflects the types of innovative collaborations needed to transition the global economy away from its heavy, albeit lessening, dependence on fossil fuels, and towards a 100% clean, flexible and affordable energy grid.”

The collaboration between Enel and Brenmiller came about as part of an Italian-Israeli collaboration protocol aimed at boosting cooperation between Israeli companies and large Italian industries.

Enel launches AI and robotics innovation lab in Israel

Ambassador-Designate of Israel in Italy, Alon Bar, said: “The Brenmiller Energy-Enel partnership takes the form of a continuation of the commitment made by the Israeli Embassy in promoting the collaboration protocol between the Israel Innovation Authority and Enel signed in 2015. This makes us particularly happy and enthusiastic in continuing to help these companies to thrive.”

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The Enel AI&Robotics Lab has been inaugurated to explore applications of AI and robotics in renewables and power grids, as well as develop sustainable solutions and materials.

This is the fourth initiative launched by the Italy-based gas and electricity manufacturer and distributor within Israel and is sponsored by Enel Green Power and Enel Grids.

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The lab, located in the centre of Tel Aviv, Israel, offers start-ups testing space for prototyping and experimentation of small robots, drones and sensors.

It is hoped to support the development of AI and robotics technologies, namely those focused on automation and digitisation in renewables and network construction and operation.

The Lab began operating in June 2022 with a bootcamp on business and technical challenges. Future bootcamps will cover challenges such as:

• Automation solutions for the construction of photovoltaic power plants, to guarantee a safe, effective and efficient working environment
  
• Ensuring worker safety through safe driving and monitoring of risky behaviours on the field
  
• Digitisation and automation using AI techniques and optimisation models for the validation of on-edge solutions to support operational processes on the field
  
• Solutions for the operation and maintenance of renewable energy plants and distribution grids to increase the number of tasks that can be performed remotely or autonomously (e.g. multifunction robots, visual analytics models)
  
• Use of drones in the utility industry leveraging overhead networks for drone wireless charging

More about robots in energy

Enel launched its first Innovation Hub in August, 2016 in Tel Aviv.

According to the company, their work with Israeli startups covers joint projects across operations, including cybersecurity, fintech, predictive maintenance, automation, green power generation and e-mobility.

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Veolia’s Sharqiyah desalination plant supplies drinking water to more than 600,000 inhabitants of the Sharqiyah region.

The 17MWp solar project will cover an area of 130,000 square meters and provide over 30,000MWh of green electricity, more than a third of the desalination plant’s daily consumption.

The plant will be equipped with more than 32,000 panels and will use the East-West tracker system to maximise energy production.

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“We’re happy to launch the construction of the solar plant on our desalination unit in the city of Sur, to be able to power it with the green electricity while drastically reducing its carbon footprint,” said Veolia chief executive Estelle Brachlianoff.

While Veolia looks to increase energy efficiency across its desalination activities, TotalEnergies plans to use renewable energy to power the plant instead of fossil fuels.

The company’s senior vice-president for renewables, Vincent Stoquart, said the project “is in line with our strategy to develop renewable energy in the Middle East and provide our customers with clean, reliable and affordable energy solutions”.

“We are committed to helping Veolia decarbonize its operations, building on our strong track record of deploying renewable energy solutions at highly technical and complex sites.”

Oman’s National Energy Strategy plans to convert 30% of its electricity use to renewable sources by 2030.

The country has embarked on many projects in line with its goal, including a wind farm in Dhofar; two solar IPPs in Manah; 11 solar-diesel hybrid facilities; and the ‘Sahim’ initiative to install small-scale solar panels on residential and commercial buildings, among others.

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The Al Taweelah power plant is located at the aluminium manufacturing site in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi. It consists of nine gas turbines and four steam turbines and generates the electricity needed for smelting operations.

GE will upgrade all hardware and software components on the four 9F gas turbines to improve operational flexibility and increase output and efficiency.

GE will implement the “Live Outage” concept for the first time on its 9F fleet, a digitised platform designed to speed up the outage process for customers.

The upgrade is expected to increase power output from the four turbines by up to 72MW, according to GE, and reduce emissions by up to 74 thousand tonnes annually.

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Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, CEO of EGA, said in a statement: “At EGA, we are committed to embedding sustainability in everything we do. This includes improving the efficiency of our current captive natural gas-fired electricity generation fleet even though we plan to divest these assets and instead source the power we need from the grid. We are pleased to work with GE to further upgrade the Al Taweelah power plant, and contribute to reducing the carbon intensity of electricity generation in the UAE.”

Joseph Anis, president & CEO of GE Gas Power Europe, Middle East and Africa, added: “…Billions of dollars have been invested in the existing installed base of gas power generation assets in the UAE and around the world. This equipment often has lifespans of 20-40 years and will not all simply be retired. However, upgrade solutions such as the AGP offer a practical means to reduce the carbon footprint of the installed base in as little time as a few months. They also enable gas infrastructure to continue to play a critical role in the energy transition by complementing variable renewable energy resources with reliable, flexible, on demand power that can help with grid stabilization.”

The agreement will see GE provide repairs, maintenance and parts for ten gas turbines, ten generators and other equipment at the site.

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The Red Sea Project is a sustainable tourism project planned for Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast and will include 50 resorts spanning 22 islands and inland locations, as well as an international airport.

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The project will be powered by solar energy and battery storage supported by MAN gensets at six locations.

MAN Energy Solutions will supply four MAN 18V51/60, 19 × MAN 9L21/31S, and 2 × MAN 6L21/31S gensets, optimised for use with B100 biofuel.

“An environmentally-friendly energy supply also needs to be safe and reliable. Even if solar energy is not available, the power supply can still be completely climate-neutral thanks to our engines which ensure a safe back-up,” said Ghassan Saab, head of power plants, MEA region at MAN Energy Solutions.

“The six power plants will provide highly flexible load-support without additionally impacting the climate. With this setup, the resort can offer its guests sustainable recreation with a guilt-free conscience while guaranteeing the power supply,” added Saab.

The project will utilise sustainable infrastructure and will function independently from the national grid. This strategy is in line with the government’s Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to promote economic diversification, development of the private sector, and improved opportunities and quality of life for Saudi people.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to conclude at the end of 2023.

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The $1.4 billion facility will be built on a 200,000m² coastal site and will include a 300MW solar PV installation and 70MW of energy storage.

The facility will be able to convert up to 4 million tonnes of solid municipal waste annually. This will result in the production of 67,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 1 million tonnes of CO₂, with an export value of over $268 million.

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“This is an exciting opportunity and one that will take the tonnes of waste that collects in Oman and turn it into green hydrogen,” executive chairman of H2-Industries, Michael Stusch said.

“The $1.4 billion investment into Oman will make a substantial contribution to the country’s waste management strategy and demonstrates how fighting climate change and enhancing environmental protection can go hand in hand and benefit all stakeholders.”

According to H2-Industries, Oman’s population of almost 3 million produces about 1.9 million tonnes of solid waste each year. A waste-to-hydrogen project such as this offers great benefits by promoting efficient waste management, as waste will be sourced from landfills and waste management operators.

H2-Industries’ technology

H2-Industries’ proprietary technology transforms organic waste including plastic, sewage sludge, and existing landfill waste in a thermos-chemical process into green hydrogen and pure CO₂.

The process is emissions free and the green hydrogen produced from that process can be transported and stored, using H2-Industries’ Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carrier (LOHC) technologies, and released on demand for use in industrial applications, or for synthetic fuels.

The facility is expected to begin production in approximately 30 months.

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Unit 2 adds 1400MW to the national grid, bringing the total produced by Units 1 and 2 to 2800MW.

His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of ENEC, said: “The start of commercial operations at Unit 2 doubles the Barakah Plant’s generation of emissions-free electricity, enabling rapid decarbonisation of the UAE’s power sector in pursuit of Net Zero 2050.

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“With Unit 2 reaching commercial operations less than 12 months after Unit 1, we have demonstrated the UAE’s megaproject capabilities, building institutional knowledge to enhance delivery to the highest standards and offer a successful case study for other nations looking to diversify their energy portfolio using a proven and sustainable technology.”

The Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant is located in the Al Dhafra region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and is one of the largest nuclear energy plants in the world, with four APR-1400 units.

According to ENEC, when all four units are operating, the Barakah Plant will produce up to 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs and will prevent about 22.4 million tons of carbon emissions annually.

By 2025, the Plant will generate more than 85% of Abu Dhabi Emirate’s clean power making it the biggest contributor to reducing Abu Dhabi’s carbon emissions by 50% by the middle of the decade.

Nasser Al Nasseri, the Chief Executive Officer of Barakah One Company, ENEC’s subsidiary in charge of representing the financial and commercial interests of the Barakah Plant project, said: ”Today is an integral day for the delivery of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant project with the commercial operations of Unit 2, we are now selling double the volume of electricity to the Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC) per the Power Purchase Agreement signed in 2016.

“We are committed to efficient and reliable power generation to ensure homes, business and industry across the UAE have continuous access to clean baseload electricity and will do so for the coming 60 years ahead. The sale of electricity further supports Abu Dhabi’s Clean Energy Certification program, allowing more businesses to demonstrate the sustainability credentials and stimulating the growth of our Net Zero economy.”

Unit 1 achieved commercial operation in April 2021 and units 3 and 4 are in the final stages of commissioning. The development of the Barakah Plant as a whole is now more than 96% complete.

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The Garadagh solar project will help to generate half a billion KWh of electricity annually. It is the nation’s first foreign investment-based independent solar power project.

Garadagh’s potential

The Garadagh power plant is projected to produce enough power to meet the needs of more than 110,000 houses and reduce annual emissions by more than 200,000 tons. It is also expected to create numerous valuable jobs in the process.

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), a UAE development financing institution, is a key finance partner for the project.

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HE Suhail Al Mazrouei, UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, commented on the promise of the new project to strengthen relations between Azerbaijan and the UAE.

Four new clean-energy projects

The announcement was also accompanied by agreements for four new projects across the country, all in a similar vein.

Masdar CEO, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, signed four memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with different parties, all related to the development of clean energy projects in the country.

Al Ramahi said of the announcements, “This ground-breaking event marks a major milestone in Azerbaijan’s clean energy journey and we at Masdar are proud to be able to leverage our experience and expertise to support the nation’s energy transition.

“By diversifying its energy mix, Azerbaijan will be able to drive sustainable development and enhance energy security, while making a major contribution to climate change mitigation.”

The signing and announcement ceremony was held in Baku, Azerbaijan’s capital. It was attended by His Excellency Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, HE Suhail Al Mazrouei and HE Parviz Shahbazov, the Minister of Energy for Azerbaijan.

Al Ramahi led the company’s delegation.

Azerbaijan’s power generation

Azerbaijan aims to enhance the proportion of installed power capacity from renewable sources to up to 30% by 2030. This comes as the country looks to diversify its economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Azerbaijan has an estimated solar energy potential of 23,040MW, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

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The partnership agreement will see ACWA Power sell energy produced by the project to SPPC for a period of 25 years.

The project, valued at $450 million, will produce enough energy to power around 132,000 homes and is said to be the largest PV tender in Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP) to date.

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Mohammad Abunayyan, ACWA Power Chairman, said: “As Saudi Arabia’s leadership ramps up its multi-gigawatt plans for diversifying its energy mix to include renewable energy, solar power is a key component in unlocking positive economic, environmental and social outcomes, whether it is for consumer use, or in mega-projects.

“We thank our partners in the Ministry of Energy for entrusting us with this important project so that we can work in the delivery of our mission in providing responsible, reliable and affordable power.”

Saudi Minister of Energy, His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, emphasised at the signing ceremony that the project aligns with the region’s efforts to diversify its energy mix and will contribute to achieving the goal of 15,000MW of clean energy by 2023.

ACWA Power will hold a 40.1% stake in the facility, along with 20% by the Water and Electricity Holding Company and 39.9% by the State Power Investment Corporation from China.

The Ar Rass IPP is expected to reach financial close in Q4 2022 and will be commissioned by Q4 2024.

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