We are pleased to announce the connection of the Rabigh solar plant, a 300MW solar plant located 800km east of Mecca. This connection marks the consolidation of PVH Middle East as the leading supplier of solar trackers in the Middle East and its relationship with China Energy Engineering Group (CEEC), one of the largest construction groups in the world.

Álvaro Casado, PVH’s Global Commercial Director, describes the Rabigh solar plant as “a major project that will help us attract investment from other significant players in the drive for renewable energy in Saudi Arabia”. The project is part of the second round of the Saudi Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP), which includes the development of other PV projects in Jeddah, Quarrayat and Al-Faisaliah.

“We have been specialising our products for years for the harshest conditions, not only in terms of climate, but also in terms of regulations and technology,” says Álvaro Casado. “We are becoming more and more adapted and integrated in a market as complicated as desert terrains and extreme weather conditions”.

In-house manufacturing and quality support in the Middle East

PVH has opened a new manufacturing plant in the country in 2022, allowing it to bring its own resources within the region, complying with mandatory local manufacturing standards and, ultimately, offering its customers a solid and secure control over the entire value chain of the design and manufacture of its products. Casado explains that “we are currently in a process of expansion, negotiating new projects and demonstrating why we are one of the industry’s technology leaders and one of the strongest installers in the world”. For PVH, it is a priority to generate economic activity and contribute, through technological innovation and large-scale manufacturing, to the achievement of a responsible and sustainable electricity production model in the Middle East.

The Rabigh project is located approximately 100 km north of Jeddah, a region with a very adverse climate of high temperatures and seasonal sandstorms. In this context, in-house production allows PVH to adapt the design and specifications of its products to the needs of each project. In addition, as a local manufacturer in Saudi Arabia, PVH secures supply as well as price and condition stability.

Guo Huo Jin, Rabigh project manager at CEEC, says that the partnership with PVH ensures efficient project execution. “PVH has an excellent design team, mature design products and a stable supply system to respond positively to our team in Saudi Arabia. By using their own production facility and local presence, they were able to ensure the smoothest implementation and contribute to local content requirements.”

Innovative state-of-the-art equipment

Rabigh will be equipped with the Monoline solar tracker in 2V bifacial configuration, designed and tested in harsh climatic conditions. Along with the ML2V bifacial units, PVH has installed its controllers that integrate the 3D adaptive tracking algorithm to maximise the plant’s performance. “Thanks to this algorithm, we avoid the generation impact that rough terrain and the relative positioning of the trackers can have, while avoiding shadows along the entire tracker and the hot spots they generate,” Casado says.

The project is expected to generate 894,000 MWh of electricity and supply enough clean energy to power 45,300 homes. The project will offset 779,900 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.