As PV prices become more cost competitive – at least compared to CSP facilities – companies like First Solar are realigning their short-term focus to center around the MENA region. However, CSP isn’t left behind as a result of PV only being capable to produce power during daylight hours while CSP can store the collected heat for future use.
“The Middle East and Africa are areas where we see opportunities in the short term,” Abengoa Solar Chief Executive Officer Santiago Seage said in an interview with Bloomberg. Abengoa Solar’s CSP facilities are well suited to the region since gas is available to help run turbines at its plants, boosting generation capacity and allowing for potentially constant supply, he said.
First Solar has increased its product line from only providing solar modules and is now producing complete power plants for utilities. Raffi Garabedian, chief technology officer for First Solar, said the shift was rolled out in the US and has made the company more competitive on a global scale.
Many solar companies are interested in the region with the most interests seemingly pointing to Morocco. The country, unlike many of its neighbors, was untouched by the Arab Spring and remains a stable environment with thriving investment opportunities. The government has also implemented many policies to make it more enticing while Algeria and Tunisia follow behind. Although still seeing some interest, Egypt and Libya are considered very risky investments at this time.
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