Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr Abdulhussain Mirza yesterday patronised the opening ceremony of Solar One, a factory being set up to manufacture solar panels in Bahrain.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister praised the promoters for having chosen Bahrain for investment in renewable energy and said the plant is a distinctive initiative to support Bahrain’s policy of encouraging investment and use of solar energy to produce electricity.

The minister explained the Cabinet decision to adopt a national plan to raise energy efficiency and the national plan for renewable energy.

He said among its objectives was to develop a national goal for six per cent of the population to rely on renewable energy by 2025. He said these plans and objectives would help Bahrain in achieve its objectives of sustainable development and will help attract new international investment.

He added that these goals would also bring Bahrain in line with countries that have a diversity of energy sources and attract new technology that helps diversify its sources.

Solar One chairman Abdullah Al Khalifa, speaking on the occasion, welcomed the minister and thanked the government for its support.

Factory director general Rami Khalifa said the plant is fully managed by a professional workforce and will operate at an initial production capacity of up to 60,000 solar panels a year, enough to generate 15 megawatts of electricity.

It would include the development of factory production in three phases and will provide in the last phase approximately 50 jobs for Bahrainis.

He thanked the minister for the opening of the plant and his support in the development of solar energy products and systems.