PV power plant accounts for approximately 1% of Jordan's total power
generation capacity
TEMPE, Ariz. & AMMAN, Jordan--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) today announced that it has
commissioned the 52.5 megawatt (MW)AC Shams Ma'an project in
the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on schedule.
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The 52.5 MW Shams Ma'an Solar Power Plant in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Owned by a consortium of investors consisting of Diamond Generating Europe Ltd., Nebras Power Q.S.C. and the Kawar Group, the project was developed and constructed by First Solar, Inc. The project was constructed by a workforce made up almost entirely of Jordanian workers, with First Solar spending more than 40,000 man-hours on training, creating a new skills resource for the region. (Photo: Business Wire)
The plant is owned by a consortium of investors consisting of Diamond
Generating Europe Ltd., Nebras Power Q.S.C. and the Kawar Group. First
Solar significantly contributed to the development of the project before
divesting its stake and being appointed the Engineering, Procurement and
Construction (EPC) contractor. Shams Ma'an has a 20-year Power Purchase
Agreement (PPA) with the National Electric Power Company (NEPCO), the
country's power generation and distribution authority.
"First Solar has delivered a high-performance solar energy asset on
schedule and with an excellent safety record. There is no doubt that
this power plant will deliver on its promises, reliably generating
energy over its lifetime and forming the cornerstone of Jordan's energy
security strategy," said Karim Kawar, Chairman of Kawar Energy.
The plant, which accounts for approximately 1 percent of Jordan's total
energy generation capacity, produces clean electricity using over
600,000 high-performance First Solar Series 4 thin film modules, which
deliver up to 5 percent more specific energy in Ma'an than conventional
crystalline silicon panels. The modules are mounted on single-axis
trackers that allow the facility to generate up to 20 percent more
energy.
"Shams Ma'an has been engineered for performance and is further evidence
of the fact that First Solar's high-performance modules can deliver more
energy than conventional photovoltaic technologies in Jordan and across
the Middle East," said Ahmed S. Nada, Vice President and Region
Executive for First Solar in the Middle East.
Significantly, the facility was constructed by a workforce that was
almost entirely Jordanian, with First Solar spending over 40,000 man
hours on training alone, creating a new skills resource for the country.
"Shams Ma'an has facilitated the transfer of several gigawatts of First
Solar's knowledge and experience to Jordan. Our hope is that the skills
acquired through this project will further enable Jordan's solar energy
ambitions," said Dr. Raed Bkayrat, First Solar's Vice President of
Business Development for the Middle East.
The project takes First Solar's installed capacity in the Middle East to
over 70MWAC with a further 200MWAC to be added
when the second phase of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park
is completed in 2017.
About First Solar, Inc.
First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic
(PV) solar systems which use its advanced module and system technology.
The company's integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically
attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From
raw material sourcing through end-of-life module recycling, First
Solar's renewable energy systems protect and enhance the environment.
For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.
For First Solar Investors
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First Solar Media
Reuven Proença
+971 (0)4 4559 410
reuven.proenca@firstsolar.com
or
First
Solar Investors
Stephen Haymore
+1 602-414-9315
stephen.haymore@firstsolar.com
Source: First Solar, Inc.
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