The 2024 version of the Center East’s most essential photo voltaic occasion hosted the next variety of exhibitors and guests, though the heaviest rainfall seen in many years hit the United Arab Emirates all through the primary day of the commerce present. Nonetheless, the occasion clearly confirmed that large-scale PV initiatives nonetheless dominate within the UAE market.
The World Future Power Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi kicked off slowly this yr because the United Arab Emirates grappled with the area’s worst storm in 75 years, in addition to widespread flooding.
The pure catastrophe prevented a number of guests from attending the honest, but additionally led to the cancellation of the Intersolar occasion, which was to be held concurrently in Dubai. Consequently, there was an uptick within the variety of guests ranging from the second day, and this crowd probably included many individuals who had solely deliberate to attend the Intersolar occasion.
The WFES organizers stated that roughly 16,000 individuals attended the honest and round 41% of them got here from exterior the United Arab Emirates. About 450 firms had a presence on the present, which is 22% larger than in 2023. The gross flooring house additionally elevated this yr by 12% to 35,000 m2.
Auctions are nonetheless the largest market driver, with low bids even during times of excessive PV module costs. Now, with panel costs hitting new all-time lows, the outcomes may very well be stunning.
Lei Wu, the COO of Sungrow Center East, stated the WFES provides a very good alternative to satisfy clients from throughout the Center East and North Africa (MENA) area.
“Our important clients from this area are principally within the UAE and Saudi Arabia,” he advised pv journal. “Each markets are providing nice alternatives within the giant scale and C&I enterprise. We nonetheless do not see massive demand within the residential section.”
Mohamed Saady, head of technical providers and product administration MENA at JinkoSolar, was notably proud of the rise in guests.
“We think about the WFES as our gateway to MENA as a result of it’s the largest and most essential occasion within the area,” he stated to pv journal. “We’re seeing a stable C&I market coming in lots of MENA international locations that apply both web metering or web billing. On this regard, the UAE and Jordan are well-established markets, and now we see new markets like Kuwait, Morocco and Algeria take their first essential steps.”
Saady stated that JinkoSolar, based mostly on China’s export statistics, has a market share within the MENA area starting from 50% to 70%, and as excessive as 80% in unspecified international locations.
In response to Hinde Liepmannsohn, government director of the Center East Photo voltaic Power Business Affiliation (MESIA), the WFES commerce present highlighted a variety of rising traits throughout all markets.
“The C&I enterprise is at present attracting capital,” she advised pv journal. “There may be nonetheless a powerful want for rules. We see Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq as potential new rising markets.”
Abhishek Kaushal, gross sales and advertising and marketing director South Asia for Huasun, advised pv journal that the gang was actually good.
“We see massive consideration right here for heterojunction photo voltaic modules, contemplating many of the initiatives are situated in high-temperature areas,” stated Kaushal. “The shoppers perceive now the industrial maturity of heterojunction expertise.”
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