Kuwait’s Pioneering Project Helps Co-operative Retailers Go Solar
The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) has recently embraced a number of pilot projects designed to promote the use of solar energy. Among them is the project titled: “Energy Efficiency and Photovoltaic Systems Pilot applications for Co-operative Societies”, which aims to enhance the energy efficiency of selected Coops as well as to encourage the use of photovoltaics for electricity generation.
The project also seeks to raise awareness on the benefits of solar energy and energy conservation, especially during peak demand periods, and its positive economic, environmental and health impacts.
Pilot Project in Al-Zahra Co-operative in Society Carport
Al-Zahra Cooperative Society was selected for this pilot project. A photovoltaic (PV) system was installed in the carport, which has a capacity of 752kWp. In addition to that, work is ongoing to upgrade and retrofit the air-conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems inside the Co-op facility.
Al-Zahra Shopping Mall is the first Cooperative in Kuwait to apply renewable energy in its carport. PV cells would reach 1,273MWh per year, which is equivalent to KD 60,000 per year in monetary saving to the nation.
The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS) organized last Sunday the launching ceremony for the Photovoltaic (PV) Pilot Project in Al-Zahra Co-operative Society carport, under the patronage of the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Mrs. Hind Subaih Barrak Al-Subaih and the presence of many decision makers and concerned parties.
Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin, KFAS Director General at the launching ceremony for the Photovoltaic (PV) Pilot Project in Al-Zahra Co-operative Society carport.
During the opening speech, KFAS Director General, Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin, highlighted the essential role Al-Zahra Co-op Society played being the first Co-op in Kuwait to apply renewable energy in its carport with the cooperation of Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), National Technology Enterprises Company (NTEC) and the Ministry of Electricity and Water.
Dr. Adnan Shihab-Eldin also stated that the capacity of electricity generated by the PV cells at Al-Zahra Co-op would reach 1,273MWh per year, which is equivalent to KD 60,000 per year in monetary saving to the nation. He also mentioned that the use of the PV system in Al-Zahra Co-op carport along with the energy conservation measures applied in the Co-op will avert at least 2,000 tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually.
A Pioneering Project at National Level
The Director General added that the pilot project will represent a quantum leap in the field of energy conservation and will significantly help in reducing the large electric load during peak periods if it is applied on a large scale, it will also reduce fossil fuel consumption in addition to mitigating carbon dioxide emissions.
“We hope that this new pilot project demonstrates some of the ways available to diversify energy sources in the future that contribute to reducing dependence on fossil fuels to generate electricity through the exploitation of renewable energy sources. We are, through this pilot project, acting as a catalyst to all concerned parties to take similar steps and to contribute towards reducing energy consumption and adopt solar energy as an alternative source of energy.”
This project is the first pioneering pilot project relevant to the use of renewable energy at the national level as it uses state of the art technologies and demonstrates its applications and benefits in the State of Kuwait.
According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Mrs. Hind Subaih Barrak Al-Subaih said:
“The Ministry is studying a proposal to oblige all cooperative societies nationwide to use renewable energy.”
Furthermore, KFAS has initiated and funded another pilot project at the beginning of this year aiming to install rooftop PV units in limited number of private residential homes with a total capacity of 2-3 MW.
Source: News Release by the Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS). Image Credit: The Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences (KFAS).
