Africa-focused energy firm sets up Abu Dhabi headquarters
17 March 2025
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (Adio) has signed a strategic agreement with pan-African distributed renewable energy firm, Ignite Energy Access, to establish its global headquarters in the UAE capital.
According to ADIO, the partnership will enable Ignite to scale its operations across Africa.
Ignite has catered to close to 23,000 villages and connected over 600,000 households, directly impacting 3.8 million people, according to its website.
The off-grid solar market in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to reach $1.75bn this year, with over 60 million systems expected to be deployed.
ADIO said it will support Ignite Energy Access in scaling its operations and expanding its regional and global footprint while "reinforcing Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for clean energy innovation".
Ignite Energy Access utilises a proprietary technology platform to develop, deploy and operate distributed solar solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, with a mission to connect 100 million people across the continent to clean, sustainable electricity by 2030.
The firm specialises in providing solar home systems, solar-powered irrigation and hybrid solar inverters, and commercial and industrial (C&I) solar projects.
It also deploys solar-powered digital connectivity solutions to provide internet access to remote communities for the first time.
Ignite Energy Access will also introduce its advanced solar technologies and expertise to the UAE, where the company will deploy standalone off-grid solar projects for use in rural communities, sustainable farming and eco-friendly transportation and construction.
Ignite’s relocation is expected to generate over 200 high-skilled jobs in Abu Dhabi across technology, finance and supply chain roles, said ADIO.
The company has also committed to a comprehensive knowledge transfer programme, collaborating with leading Abu Dhabi-based universities to develop local expertise through internships, specialist training and industry partnerships.
It will also work with Abu Dhabi’s broader renewable energy sector, building on previous engagements with the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) and Abu Dhabi Future Energy (Masdar) to support the emirate’s energy transition goals.
Irena previously won the Irena Award and the Zayed Sustainability Prize at Cop28 held in the UAE.
Yariv Cohen founded Ignite Access in 2014. Former Acwa Power CEO Paddy Padmanathan joined the firm's advisory board last year.
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Tabreed confirms $408m Palm Jebel Ali deal
17 March 2025
Abu Dhabi-headquartered National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) has signed a concession agreement with Dubai Holding Investments, part of Dubai Holding, to provide district cooling services for Palm Jebel Ali in Dubai.
MEED reported in January that talks were under way for a contract to develop new district cooling plants on Palm Jebel Ali, with an initial capacity of 25,000 refrigeration tonnes (RTs).
Tabreed said the system will address the need for approximately 250,000 RTs of cooling capacity and require an estimated investment of AED1.5bn ($408m) over multiple phases, making it one of the largest district cooling plant projects ever awarded in the UAE.
In a statement, Tabreed said the agreement establishes a joint venture, with Tabreed holding a 51% stake and Dubai Holding Investments retaining the remaining 49%.
Tabreed’s major shareholders, sovereign investor Mubadala (42%) and French utility developer Engie (40%), supported the firm’s proposal to develop the project.
Tabreed CEO Khalid Al-Marzooqi and Dubai Holding Investments CEO Omar Karim signed the agreement in the presence of senior officials from Tabreed, Dubai Holding, Mubadala and Engie.
The construction of the district cooling network is expected to commence in Q2 2025, with the first cooling services expected to be delivered by 2027.
The deal is subject to customary approvals.
Tabreed acquired an 80% stake in Emaar Property’s Downtown Dubai district cooling business at a cost of AED2.48bn ($675m) in 2020.
Tabreed raised AED700m ($190.6m) via an inaugural, five-year green sukuk as the first issuance under its new $1.5bn trust certificate issuance scheme, the firm said in early March.
The firm reported a revenue of AED2.4bn and a net profit before tax of AED624m in 2024, representing a 4% increase over 2023, excluding one-offs.
Its Ebitda increased by 5% year-on-year to AED1.25bn, with an improved margin of 51%. Net profit after tax stood at AED570m, up 32% compared to AED431m in 2023.
Mixed-use developments in the region commonly deploy district cooling. The process involves using a central chiller plant to cool water, which is circulated to multiple buildings to provide cooling.
It is considered more energy-efficient, consuming at least 20% less electricity than conventional air-cooled or individual water-cooled air conditioning systems.
Photo credit: Tabreed
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Alkhorayef wins four water contracts
17 March 2025
The local firm Alkhorayef Water & Power Technologies Company has won the contract to operate and maintain four water treatment plants in Saudi Arabia.
The water treatment plants are located in Wadi Aldawaser, Alsalil, Alsafa in Najran and Alwajid.
According to a company filing, the contract is worth SR58.78m ($15.7m).
Saudi Water Authority, formerly Saline Water Conversion Company (SWCC), awarded the contract to Alkhorayef on 16 March.
In July last year, Saudi Arabia’s National Water Company (NWC) awarded contracts to install new water and wastewater connections across six regions in Saudi Arabia.
The 36-month contracts, described as blanket purchase agreements, were worth SR190.8m ($50.8m).
The water and wastewater connections will be located in Al-Qassim, Hail and Jizan and in the north, south and central sectors of the kingdom’s Eastern Region.
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Firms prepare Al-Zarraf solar PV bids
17 March 2025
Prequalified firms have approximately three months to form consortiums and prepare proposals for a contract to develop Abu Dhabi’s fifth utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) independent power project (IPP).
State utility Emirates Water & Electricity Company (Ewec) prequalified 16 companies that can bid for the Al-Zarraf solar IPP, also known as PV5, which will have a capacity of 1,500MW.
Industry sources say up to five consortiums are being formed to bid for the contract as of mid-March.
The 10 firms that may bid as managing members of the bidding consortiums are:
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- Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco, South Korea)
- Korea Western Power Company (Kowepo)
- Marubeni Corporation (Japan)
- SPIC Hunaghe Hydropower Development Company (China)
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The following six companies may bid as consortium members:
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Ewec received expressions of interest for the contract from 20 companies and consortiums in October last year and issued the tender in January.
It expects to receive bids for the contract by 12 June, one of the sources said.
Like the first four solar IPPs tendered by Ewec, the Al-Zarraf solar IPP will involve the development, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and ownership of the solar PV plant and associated infrastructure.
The successful bidder or consortium will enter into a long-term power-purchase agreement with Ewec as the sole procurer of electricity.
Ewec opened the bids for its fourth utility-scale solar project, the Al-Khazna solar IPP or PV4, on 30 October.
Engie offered a levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) of AED fils 5.35502 ($c1.459) a kilowatt-hour (kWh) for the contract, beating by roughly 3% the second-lowest offer made by a team of China’s Jinko Power and Japan’s Jera of AED fils 5.54126/kWh.
A team of France’s EDF Renewables and its partner, Korea Western Power Company (Kowepo), emerged with the highest offer of AED fils 5.86311/kWh.
Ewec is expected to award the Al-Khazna solar IPP contract to Engie around the second quarter of this year, as MEED reported.
Successful PV bidders
In 2016, a team of Japan’s Marubeni and Jinko Power won the contract to develop and operate Abu Dhabi’s first utility-scale solar PV project in Sweihan, the 934MW Noor Abu Dhabi IPP.
Four years later, in 2020, a team comprising EDF Renewables and Jinko Power won the contract to develop the 1,500MW Al-Dhafra solar PV, which was inaugurated last year.
In April 2024, Ewec awarded the contract to develop PV3, the 1,500MW Al-Ajban solar IPP, to a team led by EDF Renewables and including Kowepo.
Ewec forecasts that at least 18,000MW of solar PV will be in operation by 2035, supporting the realisation of the Abu Dhabi Department of Energy’s Clean Energy Strategic Target 2035.
The programme envisages renewable and clean energy sources meeting 60% of the emirate’s total power demand at the end of the forecast period.
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Contractors submit final offers for Diriyah Arena district
17 March 2025
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Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Company has received the last and final offers from firms for the contract to build the Arena Block assets in the Boulevard Southwest section in the DG2 area of the Diriyah gigaproject.
MEED understands that final proposals were submitted last week and the award is expected shortly for the multibillion-riyal package, which consists of mixed-use facilities, including offices.
Tendering activity is also progressing on several other major schemes at Diriyah, including the Royal Diriyah Opera House project. It is understood that the bid evaluation has reached the final stages and the contract will likely be finalised in March.
In January, the client also asked firms to prequalify for a contract to build a new museum in the DG2 area of the Diriyah project.
MEED previously reported that Diriyah Company had asked firms to prequalify for another contract covering the infrastructure development works in the DG2 area of Diriyah.
Developed by Diriyah Company, the Diriyah masterplan envisages the city as a cultural and lifestyle tourism destination. Located northwest of Riyadh’s city centre, it covers 14 square kilometres and combines 300 years of history, culture and heritage with hospitality facilities.
The company awarded several significant contracts last year, including two major contracts worth over SR16bn ($4bn). These include an estimated $2bn contract awarded to a joint venture of El-Seif Engineering & Contracting and China State to build the North Cultural District.
In late July, Diriyah also awarded a $2.1bn package to a joint venture of local contractor Albawani and Qatar’s Urbacon to construct assets in the Wadi Safar district of the gigaproject.
In December, MEED reported that Diriyah Company had awarded an estimated SR5.8bn ($1.5bn) contract to local firm Nesma & Partners for its Jabal Al-Qurain Avenue cultural district, located in the northern district of the Diriyah Gate project.
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Ooredoo signs cable landing deals with Kuwait and Iraq17 March 2025
Doha-headquartered Ooredoo Group has signed agreements with Kuwait and Iraqi authorities for its fibre-optic submarine cable network Fibre in the Gulf's (FIG) first two landing points.
Ooredoo Group signed an administrative license agreement with Kuwait's Communications and Information Technology Regulatory Authority (Citra) on 13 March and with Iraqi Telecommunications and Post Company (ITPC) on 16 March, according to local media reports.
FIG will have 16 fibre pairs and a capacity of up to 480 terabytes per second (tbps), creating "a high-capacity, fully integrated subsea network connecting all GCC countries and beyond".
According to Ooredoo, the FIG cable is set to start service in Q4 2027.
In January, Ooredoo Group signed an agreement to build a new submarine cable connecting seven countries in the region with France’s Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN).
In addition to Qatar, Kuwait and Iraq, FIG will link Oman, the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.
Ooredoo said in January that the project will provide all GCC states with a “low-latency, shorter and secure route” to a new corridor connecting Europe with up to 24 fibre pairs and a capacity of up to 720 tbps.
It is unclear if the capacity published this March – 16 fibre pairs with a capacity of 480tbps – comprises first phase of the overall project, or if the total capacity has been revised downwards.
Ooredoo is ramping up investment to secure its role as a leading digital infrastructure provider in the region.
Recent initiatives cover AI, data centres, submarine cable systems, fintech and Internet of Things technologies.
Last year, its subsidiary, Ooredoo Oman, signed an agreement to land the 2Africa Cable System in Barka and Salalah in Oman.
In September last year, Ooredoo signed QR2bn ($546.2m) of financing from three local banks to expand its data centre network.
Qatar National Bank, Doha Bank and Masraf Al-Rayan agreed to provide the 10-year financing facility to help expand the firm’s existing data centre network to meet demand for future AI applications.
The financing deal comes three months after Nvidia signed a deal to deploy its AI technology at data centres owned by Ooredoo in Qatar and five other countries: Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait and the Maldives.
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