Bahrain ministry launches tender for 72 MW solar plant

Bahrain has floated a tender to award a 20-year contract for local or international bidders to build, own, operate and maintain grid-tied solar photovoltaic (PV) power panels with a minimum capacity of 72 MWac across multiple sites in Sakhir.

Yasser bin Ebrahim Humaidan, Bahrain’s Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs said, “The launch of this tender comes as part of the kingdom’s wider vision to adopt a circular carbon economy, with the aim to bring carbon emissions in Bahrain to net zero by 2060 in line with its national commitments to protect the environment and combat climate change.”

The tender seeks to build solar panels in the Bahrain International Circuit, University of Bahrain, Bahrain International Exhibition & Convention Centre, and Al Dana Amphitheatre.

The solar panels are to be built on the rooftops, car park shades, electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and the grounds of the above-mentioned facilities.

To qualify for the tender, bidders need to be engaged in the business of solar PV energy and have successfully commissioned at least ten grid-tied solar PV projects (out of which at least five are solar PV car park projects).

Additionally, bidders should be commissioned in at least 40 MWac grid-tied solar PV projects in any country globally in the last three years (2019 – 2021).

Bahrain’s Economic Recovery Plan catalyses over $30bn of investments in strategic projects, creating new investment opportunities in infrastructure and priority sectors across the kingdom.

In recent news, Bahrain joined the Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development. As a major producer of raw aluminum and iron ore, Bahrain will increase the partnership’s total industrial manufacturing value add from $106.26bn to $112.5bn.

Read: Bahrain joins Industrial Partnership for Sustainable Economic Development