Minister chairs meeting on sustainable energy

Manama : Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza chaired the sixth meeting of the National Committee on energy efficiency and renewable energy plans. Members of the committee, consisting of senior officials in several ministries and government bodies, attended the meeting.

The minister reviewed the developments of the project of setting up a 100-megawatt solar power plant in partnership with the private sector. 

He also announced a tender will be submitted to companies during the coming period. 

A workshop for contractors and consultants for the installation of solar energy systems had also been organised by the Sustainable Energy Unit in cooperation with the international company CESI last month. 

Thirty-three contractors and consultants, of the 53 who took part, qualified. 

The minister commended the efforts to set up the workshop and said the names of those who qualified to install solar systems on homes and other facilities would be published on the website of the Electricity and Water Authority. 

The minister said the next training workshop would be held in May.

The minister said that the company, Insomnia, has been contracted to design the website of the Sustainable Energy Unit (SEU) and to formulate communication strategies with citizens and residents to raise awareness about national plans in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Each committee member presented a time plan and details for the implementation of the initiatives and programs assigned to them in both the National Energy Efficiency Plan (NEEAP) and the National Renewable Energy Plan (NREAP) as well as Net Metering, approved by the Council of Ministers in December. This system will allow individuals and institutions to install solar energy panels at their homes or facilities. 

A presentation on the formalities required to install solar systems on rooftops and the use of solar energy produced within the facility was made during the meeting. 

This information has been published on the website of the Electricity and Water Authority and would also be published on the website of the Sustainable Energy Unit.

There was a presentation on the contribution of domestic air conditioners to reducing energy consumption and adoption of a new technical system as a cooling medium for air conditioners against  the current  technical  system.