Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy developer Masdar has signed an agreement with Iraq’s government to build PV power generation assets with a combined capacity of 2 GW in the country.
The projects are planned for unspecified locations in central and southern Iraq. Masdar will act as an independent power producer under the framework of Iraq’s Investment Law 13/2006.
“The project is one of the largest renewable photovoltaic solar projects in the Middle East, and falls within the vision of Iraq’s sustainable transition plan 2021- 2030,” said Suha Al-Najar, president of the National Investment Commission. The project delivers 2 GW of green energy for Iraq’s national network.
More financial or technical details on the scheme were not provided.
According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, Iraq has an installed PV capacity of only 216 MW despite a huge solar potential. No additional solar power has been deployed in the country in the past three years. In 2017, Iraq’s installed, mainly fossil-fuel based power generation capacity stood at around 11.3 GW versus demand estimated at 17 GW.
The Ministry of Electricity began procurement of seven PV power projects with a combined capacity of 755 MW in May 2019. The results of this tender are expected to be announced this year.
