ALEC Energy partners with Solar Earth to bring pavement integrated photovoltaic solution to the GCC
Solar Earth PIPV solution is touted as the ‘Toughest Solar on Earth’
ALEC Energy has partnered with Solar Earth as part of its drive to advance innovation in clean energy production in the region and beyond. Canada-based Solar Earth has developed what’s billed as the world’s most rugged pavement integrated photovoltaic (PIPV) solution, touted by the firm as the ‘Toughest Solar on Earth’.
Solar Earth’s PIPV solution will enable governments and private enterprises to carry out wide scale solarisation of every hardscape infrastructure such as pavements, roads, plazas, and parking lots, turning these into clean energy generating assets, ALEC Energy said in its statement. The firm added that the region’s first PIPV solution is being implemented at ALEC Group’s modular manufacturing factory in Dubai (LINQ Modular).
ALEC Energy is a related business division of ALEC Engineering and Contracting, and offers a complete turnkey solution for all types of solar and hybrid energy plants. ALEC Energy recently delivered the world’s first off-grid micro-grid at the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in Dubai.
“While the GCC has been blessed with a perennial abundance of sunlight, the constraints of traditional solar panels have limited the ability to unlock the immense potential of this clean energy source,” said Basar Kayali, General Manager of ALEC Energy.
Solar Earth panels are said to be skid resistant and unlike their traditional counterparts, they have been designed to be extremely rugged – able to withstand up to five tonnes of weight and harsh weather conditions.
Thanks to this rugged design, the panels enable public and private sector entities to take traditional sunk costs infrastructure and provide a return on investment, by transforming these into dual-use, revenue-generating surfaces. ALEC Energy’s decision to introduce the technology in the GCC followed months of comprehensive evaluation and feasibility studies to ensure a ‘right fit’ for the needs of the region, the firm explained.
“With countries across the GCC clearly outlining intentions to achieve Net Zero by as early as 2050, regional governments are turning to the private sectors to help pioneer advancements in the future of responsible energy production. We are thrilled to see the UAE taking the lead in innovation, clean energy, and Net Zero action,” explained Damarys Zampini, representative of Solar Earth.
The PIPV solution was unveiled at an event held at ALEC Group’s modular construction facility (LINQ Modular) in Dubai and attended by Gabriel Jabbour, Trade Commissioner for the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai.
“Today, together with Solar Earth, we are redefining what photovoltaic solutions are capable of and thereby enabling an entirely new range of possibilities for their deployment. In doing so, we are helping usher in the new era of solar energy production, one where it is no longer restricted to large solar farms and commercial facilities alone but can be seamlessly incorporated into the vast amount of commercial, municipal, residential, and other infrastructure that has already been built,” Kayali added.
In late August 2022, ALEC Energy and Stantec signed a MoU to establish a roadmap towards achieving decarbonisation and sustainable energy goals.
An interior shot of the LINQ Modular facility in Dubai
As a demonstration of the capabilities of the PIPV solution, ALEC Energy utilised 24m2 solar cells connected to a 22kW electric vehicle charger. At the event, the company also commenced its 461kW-peak solar plant at the modular construction factory for the generation of enough energy needed for the facility’s main office building.
Zampini concluded, “Our partnership with ALEC Energy, and the landing of our first shipment in the UAE sets the tone for COP28 and the country’s commitment to doing, not just talking, about its Net Zero goals.”
In late December 2022, ALEC’s CEO Kez Taylor discussed the US $100mn TARGET Engineering acquisition with Big Project Middle East.
