First Wind Atlas unveiled

Manama : Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza yesterday inaugurated Bahrain’s first Wind Atlas, a map showing the presence of sufficient wind resource in different areas to operate turbines that generate clean energy and produce electricity from wind energy.

The Atlas is in keeping with the wise directives of His Majesty the King, His Royal Highness the Prime Minister and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, to take advantage of clean and sustainable energy and to diversify Bahrain’s sources of energy for comprehensive development.

Dr. Mirza said the Wind Atlas was prepared in a scientific way after extensive study by EMD International, an international company specialized in this field, in cooperation with the Sustainable Energy Unit and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to encourage investment by the private sector in wind energy. He said the Atlas will help contribute to achieving Bahrain’s national goals to have 5 per cent of its energy use as renewable by 2025, and 10 per cent by 2035.

The minister said that the support of the national plan by the Council of Ministers in particular and its support for the policy of Net Metering has transformed Bahrain’s energy resources and investment. He said the country has witnessed a rapid flow of investments in solar energy and the wind atlas study is complementary to this transformation. He said it holds the potential of new horizons that would contribute to the advancement of development and diversification of energy sources.

During the ceremony, Dr. Mirza also inaugurated the website of the Sustainable Energy Unit, which was prepared by INSOMNIA. This website will highlight the unit’s plan to activate its role in spreading awareness in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

UN Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Amin Cherkaoui praised Dr. Mirza’s support in the fields of renewable energy and energy efficiency. He said that the adoption of the national plans and their initiatives and policies reflects Bahrain’s keenness to achieve relevant national commitments to achieving goals of sustainable development and, in particular, the goal of renewable energy.

The inauguration ceremony was also attended by executive heads of a number of companies interested in renewable energy and a large number of specialists and technicians in this field.