Minister of Electricity and Water, Eng. Ali Al-Mousa, has formed a technical committee — headed by the Assistant Undersecretary for the Electricity Transmission Networks Sector, Eng Mutlaq Al-Otaibi with senior officers and engineers as members — to study the mechanism of purchasing renewable energy produced by third parties.
Al-Mousa’s decision stipulates that the committee will be responsible for researching and studying the procurement mechanism, setting the relevant controls and procedures, and presenting a technical, financial, environmental and legal study of the process of purchasing energy produced by third parties, and proposing a mechanism for its implementation in accordance with the legislation in force, reports a local Arabic daily.
The decision stipulates the committee must submit a report every two months, including the results of its work, provided that the period of its work is one year from the date of the decision, after which it delivers everything that has been accomplished to the minister’s office.
The sources indicated that encouraging the production of energy from clean sources is one of the priority files of Minister Al-Mousa at the present time, because of its importance, whether at the level of economic returns, diversifying and increasing sources of energy production, or at the level of preserving the environment and reducing harmful emissions from stations and resulting from them. on dependence on fossil fuels.
The sources explained that the decision aims to encourage the private sector to invest in renewable energy, provide opportunities and jobs of a new engineering nature, and achieve Kuwait’s development vision at the energy level.
The sources added that the interest in increasing production of clean energy is also due to the increase in demand for electricity and the necessity of moving to a sustainable system in light of the remarkable development the world is witnessing in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The sources pointed out that the committee will focus during its work on several aspects, starting with a survey of the most important developments and renewable energy projects in the world’s leading countries in this field, and then studying the financial and economic feasibility of purchasing energy produced on rooftops or others, and the technical conditions and specifications for solar panels on rooftops in Kuwait.
The sources concluded saying the study will also include research on the environmental impact of solar panels, as well as a pilot study on a facility affiliated with the ministry, which is the project of photovoltaic panels for the roofs of the electricity and works buildings, to compare the cost of the project when it was completed at current international prices.
6 environmental objectives for purchasing renewable energy
— Implementing the provisions of the Environmental Protection Law by reducing emissions
— Contribute to the achievement of integrated management of natural resources
— Ensuring the achievement of development goals at the level of energy production
— Protecting the rights of the individual and society to enjoy a better life and a clean environment
— Contribute to achieving capital and budgetary savings
— Ensure optimum use of the resources associated with renewable energy