Energy, Oil & Gas

Yellow Door Energy leads with 27 solar projects in 2024

Yellow Door Energy, a leading sustainable energy partner in the Middle East and Africa, achieved significant project milestones in 2024, adding 32.7 megawatts-peak (MWp) to its portfolio and acquiring five Oman operating projects, the company said.
 
Jeremy Crane, Group CEO of Yellow Door Energy, said: “In 2024, Yellow Door Energy commissioned 27 solar power projects across the UAE, Bahrain, Oman and South Africa. Our swift project execution reflects the exceptional collaboration amongst our teams and contractors, and aligns with the Net Zero ambitions of governments in the region. I extend my gratitude to all who contributed to accelerating the Just Energy Transition. We look forward to unveiling even more projects and reaching new milestones in 2025.”
 
As part of its efforts to drive a sustainable future, Yellow Door Energy published its second sustainability report, titled “From Promise to Progress: Our Journey Towards a Just Energy Transition”, detailing its initiatives and progress in this space. Alongside this, the company issued its second carbon footprint report, underscoring its commitment to decarbonising its operations.
 
The company’s achievements were recognised with six prestigious industry awards, including the Excellence in Solar Project Management award from SolarQuarter and Bahrain’s Al Bilad Award for Corporate Social Responsibility in the Environmental Excellence category.
 
As part of its ongoing thought leadership and community development initiatives, Yellow Door Energy’s team conducted seven educational workshops for students across the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and South Africa. Notable initiatives include:
 
Project Daw in Jordan – Co-funded by Actis Acts, this programme delivered free training to 20 Jordanian youths on solar power system design, installation and maintenance. It also provided a solar power system to a community center in Mafraq free of charge.
 
INJAZ Solar Plant Tour in Bahrain – Yellow Door Energy hosted 20 secondary-level school students for an educational tour at its solar power plant at City Centre Bahrain.
 
With over 350 MWp of projects in operation, under construction, in planning or awarded, Yellow Door Energy continues to lead the solar sector in the region. Its projects are developed through innovative solar leases or power purchase agreements (PPAs), enabling business owners to transition to solar power and significantly reduce electricity costs without incurring any upfront capital expenditure.
 
The newly commissioned solar power plants feature 61,500 solar panels, utilising rooftop solar, ground-mounted solar and carport solar applications. More than 550,000 person-hours were dedicated to building the solar power plants, all completed with zero recordable incidents. This achievement highlights the company’s commitment to rigorous quality, health, safety, security and environmental (QHSSE) practices and their strict implementation across all its projects.
 
To date, Yellow Door Energy’s operational projects in the region have generated 842,000 megawatt-hours of clean electricity, equivalent to reducing carbon emissions by 328,000 metric tons. This achievement supports the Net Zero and clean energy ambitions of governments in the countries where the company operates. -TradeArabia News Service

Energy, Oil & Gas

IMI plans new $38m control valve facility

IMI, a world leader in flow control solutions, has unveiled plans for a new $38 million manufacturing facility in Lake Forest, California, US.
 
The new site, which will predominantly support its IMI CCI brand of actuator and control valves, will offer an improved space for employee collaboration, wellbeing and productivity. Investment will also be made to reduce the new facility’s environmental impact, the company said.
 
Construction will be self-funded through the sale of IMI’s current facility in Rancho Santa Margarita, California, with the company aiming to complete the move by the beginning of 2026, it said.
 
Employee engagement is a key focus for the new site. It will feature more collaborative and flexible work areas with better lighting and climate control, as well as outdoor space and recreation areas.
 
The move will also streamline manufacturing operations, providing faster technical responses and shorter lead times for IMI’s customers in both nuclear and conventional power industries.
 
Kevin McKown, Process Automation President for the Americas, at IMI said: “Our move to Lake Forest represents an important step for IMI. This new site will allow us to better serve customers with investment into our highly skilled staff and the latest manufacturing capabilities. It will modernise our processes and provide a critical space for us to develop breakthrough engineering in two of our key markets.”
 
Further investments will include a state-of-the-art solar power system and additional technology to increase productivity, improve energy consumption and reduce hazardous waste streams.
 
“We recognise the importance of practising what we preach,” added Kevin. “As we invest in our colleagues, we’re also investing in IMI’s ability to operate more sustainably and efficiently over the coming years.
 
“The solar power system along with other modernisation efforts is testament to our commitment to futureproofing the business. By establishing a new centre of excellence in Southern California, we will be able to grow even as the demands of our customers change.”

Energy, Oil & Gas

L&T unit emerges preferred EPC contractor for big Masdar project

Indian construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced that its renewables business vertical has been selected by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar), as one of the preferred engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractors for the north site of the world's first 24/7 solar PV and battery storage gigascale project which will be built in the UAE capital.
 
The project, being developed by Masdar in collaboration with Ewec (Emirates Water and Electricity Company), will feature a 5.2GW (DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and both coupled with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS, making it the largest solar and BESS project in the world, said L&T in a statement.
 
The project will constitute a north site and a south site, amounting to 2.6GW and 9.5GWh PV capacity each. 
 
Announcing this at a key ceremony held on the sidelines of the recent Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), Masdar said once operational, the gigascale project will deliver up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of baseload power 24 hours a day, seven days a week. 
 
It was attended by Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and Chairman of Masdar. 
 
The project will feature a 5.2GW (DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) plant and both coupled with a 19 gigawatt-hour (GWh) BESS, making it the largest solar and BESS project in the world, it stated.  
 
The Letter of Award was signed by Abdulaziz Alobaidli, Chief Operating Officer, Masdar and A Ravindran, Senior Vice President & Head – Renewables IC, L&T in the presence of T Madhava Das, Whole-Time Director & Sr. Executive Vice President (Utilities), L&T.
 
Speaking on the occasion, Masdar COO Abdulaziz Alobaidli said: "The record-breaking project we are developing with Ewec is a giant step forward in the clean energy transformation, overcoming the intermittency of renewables and enabling the dispatch of clean energy 24 hours a day, seven days a week."
 
"As Masdar’s largest and most ambitious project to date, we made sure we are working with the best possible partners that will deliver to the highest standards. I look forward to working with these preferred contractors in setting a new global benchmark in clean energy innovation," he noted.
 
S N Subrahmanyan, the Chairman & Managing Director (L&T), said: "The foresightedness coupled with definitive actions reflect UAE’s leadership role in accelerating sustainable economic progress. L&T is determined to bring in advanced capabilities for the global energy transition."
 
Madhava Das said: "We are happy that our trusted partnership with Masdar has culminated in such a coveted opportunity to advance the deployment of clean energy projects in the region."
 
"With our all-round capabilities in dispatchable renewable generation, power T&D and digital solutions we are deeply committed to deliver this ultra-mega project that fuels futuristic ambitions," he added.
.-TradeArabia News Service