Bahrain has switched on 372 renewable energy projects with a combined capacity exceeding 141 megawatts (MW), as part of a wider push to raise clean energy’s contribution to the kingdom’s power mix, the Electricity and Water Authority (EWA) has revealed.
In a written reply to a parliamentary question by Parliament’s financial and economic affairs committee chairman MP Ahmed Al Salloom, Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Yasser Humaidan, who is politically responsible for the EWA, said the kingdom’s total annual electricity production stands at nearly 20,000 gigawatt-hours (GWh), with renewable energy currently accounting for around 1.5 per cent of the total.
He stressed that efforts were underway to significantly increase that share in line with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 and the national target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060.
“Bahrain attaches great importance to the renewable energy sector due to its direct impact on sustainable development and economic growth,” Mr Humaidan said. “The National Renewable Energy Action Plan, approved by the Cabinet in 2017, aims to raise the contribution of renewable energy to 20 per cent of the total energy mix by 2035, in line with regional and international standards.”
The minister revealed that, in addition to the 372 operational projects, work is ongoing on 54 new distributed renewable energy schemes. Once completed, these will raise total installed renewable capacity to nearly 500MW over the coming years.
Among the flagship developments is the expansion of the Al Dur Renewable Energy Plant, currently under construction as a utility-scale solar project with a capacity of around 100MW.
In parallel, EWA has tendered the kingdom’s first solar power plant to be developed in strategic partnership with the private sector, with a planned capacity of approximately 150MW.
“We are also co-ordinating with the private sector to establish centralised private power plants with a total capacity of up to 250MW,” Mr Humaidan added.
He noted that solar power stations are being planned across various locations to collectively achieve the 500MW target.
As part of diversification efforts, EWA has inaugurated a 2MW pilot wind energy project. A feasibility study is also underway for a floating offshore wind farm and for expanding wind energy’s role in the national energy mix.
“Preliminary data indicates that wind energy currently faces economic challenges due to high costs,” Mr Humaidan said. “However, we continue to evaluate its potential as part of our long-term strategy.”
The authority is also studying advanced and emerging energy sources, including small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), which are still under global development and have yet to be widely deployed commercially.
To overcome land constraints for large-scale renewable projects, Bahrain is intensifying efforts to promote distributed solar systems on rooftops of homes, commercial buildings and car parks.
Around 70 rooftop solar systems have already been installed in the residential sector, with a noticeable increase in new connection requests.
A key driver has been the Net Metering Policy, introduced under Ministerial Resolution No (2) of 2017. The system allows consumers to install renewable energy systems, use the electricity generated for their own needs and export surplus power to the national grid in exchange for bill credits.
“This policy has significantly encouraged homeowners and businesses to adopt solar photovoltaic systems,” Mr Humaidan said. “It enables consumers to reduce their bills while contributing clean energy to the grid.”
While installation costs vary depending on system size, components and site conditions, the minister noted that a one kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic system without shading can generate approximately 5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per day under typical conditions in Bahrain.
“We are continuously upgrading our technical capabilities and digital systems to efficiently integrate renewable energy into the national grid,” he added. “Our commitment is clear – to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable and diversified energy future for Bahrain.”
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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