Bahrain’s renewable energy goal hits land shortage

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

There is barely enough land in Bahrain for the solar panels, but the push to have onefifth of the country’s power come from renewables by 2035 is pressing ahead.

The long-term aim is to cut reliance on fossil fuels and hit net-zero by 2060, but squeezing in the wind turbines and solar farms is proving tricky in a place where space is at a premium.

Even so, the government is pressing on. Over the next three years, another 300 megawatts of renewable power is expected to come online, adding to the 62 megawatts already spread across nearly 300 projects.

Plans are moving ahead for a 130-megawatt solar farm near the Hawar Islands, with a private partner brought in to help foot the bill, while the Al Dur energy projects are set for expansion, bringing in another 100 megawatts.

Roadblocks

Minister of Electricity and Water Affairs, His Excellency Yasser Humaidan, responding to a question from Shura member Dr Ali Al Haddad, said the government was working to clear roadblocks.

“One of the biggest hurdles is finding enough land,” he said. “High-capacity solar farms and wind projects need space, and we are always looking at open areas that could be used.”

The push to renewables started in 2017 with small projects before being brought under a 2019 ministerial decision that set out how homes and businesses could link their solar panels to the grid.

Carbon footprint

The system lets account holders power their homes and cut down on their bills, with the added bonus of shrinking their carbon footprint.

But space is just one of the sticking points.

Convincing subsidised account holders to switch to solar has been tough, and there are technical hitches as well.

Proper training

Renewable power isn’t steady — solar drops off at night, and wind isn’t always reliable — so grid operators need proper training to keep supply steady. The electronic systems keeping the whole thing running also need a thorough upgrade.

Even with these obstacles, Humaidan said the government is pushing ahead, working to expand Bahrain’s renewable power while dealing with tight land constraints.