Aykut Erdogan, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Turkish company GETAS Group, stated that they will invest $60 million in a solar power plant (SPP) in Bahrain.
Erdogan told Anadolu Agency (AA) that the said SPP in Bahrain will be at the level of 72 megawatts, but this investment can be increased to 200 megawatts in the next stage due to the needs of the region and the availability of land.
Emphasizing that within the scope of the project, they will install GES on the roofs of the car parks at the Bahrain University Campus and Al Dana Show Center, on the grounds of the Bahrain University campus, and on the roofs of the fairgrounds, on the Formula-1 track, and said:
“We will supply the solar panels from our Taiwanese partner, which is a panel manufacturer. The capacity of each panel from here is at the level of 700 watts. The capacity of the panels was specified at the level of 540 watts in the tender specifications. We preferred to use a slightly more technological and high-capacity panel. Even our choice of this panel will increase the capacity of the existing investment. We will invest in a 72-megawatt solar power plant with an investment of $60 million in Bahrain. We are the main investor. We established GETAS Gulf Solar Energy Company as per the tender in Bahrain. Turkish engineers will work here, we cannot compromise on this issue. In field studies, we will benefit from local employment. We will hit the first dig in November, the project will be completed in 18 months.”
Pointing out that the power plant will be operated and maintained by them for 20 years after the installation, and the electricity produced will be sold to Bahrain, Erdogan stated that the electricity sales price is 4.30 dollars/cent per kilowatt-hour.
“Our interest in the Gulf countries continues”
Erdogan stated that the countries to which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited within the scope of his Gulf tour had the opportunity to get to know Turkish investors better.
Stating that the country’s stable administration makes Bahrain attractive for foreign investors, Erdogan said, “We chose this country because Bahrain is slightly different from other Arab countries in terms of stability in administration. We have set a target for the Gulf countries for solar power plant investments. Gulf countries provide advantages in terms of energy resources such as the sun, location and investment environment. Our interest in the Gulf countries continues. We are also negotiating solar power plant investments with other countries in the Gulf.”
Source: AA / Prepared by Irem Yildiz