CCC’s Solar Power Adventures

As a pioneer in the construction industry, and with a vision to lead in promoting green awareness, CCC believes in providing future generations with a healthy and safe environment as well as social and economic prosperity. As a result, CCC started examining the implementation of solar energy applications on construction camps in the Middle East early on. At the moment, solar technology is put to successful use in various CCC units and projects. The rationale behind these schemes is to reduce the electrical energy consumed by camps by utilizing environmentally-friendly technologies.

It started with a pilot project at the Simaisma Camp in Qatar. Upon completion, it provided solar-heated water to various units on site – including the laundry and kitchen – as well as photovoltaic lighting. Following this pilot project at Simaisma Camp, CCC has successfully been utilizing solar technology at various CCC locations for different projects (Greece, UAE), with the most important being at the Qusahwira Camp (UAE).

This was the first off-grid solar installation in the United Arab Emirates. The rooftop photovoltaic system with an output of 368 kilowatt-peak was one of the largest solar installations in the country. It powered a camp with more than 5,000 people working for an oil field development project in the desert.

This solar installation generated approximately 610 MWh per year, which was used for air conditioning, kitchen installations, and other daytime power activities. Most importantly, it contributed to reducing CCC’s carbon footprint by offsetting 420 tons of CO2 emissions annually.

Recognized as one of the world’s mega projects, the green building campus at Princess Noura bint AbdulRahman University (PNBAR) is the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and uses the world’s largest district solar water heater.

With an installed capacity of 17 MW, it provides hot water for all 40,000 students in the 8 sq km campus through its 36,000 sq meter solar collector area. CCC was responsible for the construction and acted as a procurement partner.

Dubai’s first move toward using renewable energy was the inauguration of the largest operating Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Plant in the Middle East and North Africa in October 2013.

The Solar Plant is Dubai’s largest, capable of displacing 15,000 tons of CO2 a year – the equivalent of removing 2,000 cars from the road. It is also the largest Photovoltaic Plant in the region. It is the first stage of the planned Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park – a vast complex with a planned output capacity of 1,000 MW by 2030.

First Solar won it based on an advanced technology called “thin-film PV.” The company’s thin-film modules have lower levels of power loss than any other photovoltaic technology. In general, all renewable energy technologies (solar, wind, wasteto- energy, etc.) are in the development stage. What is critical is the yield, the performance, and the durability after years of operation, but this is difficult to determine. The company also developed a water-less method to clean the panels to counteract the high amounts of dust. CCC successfully approached First Solar from among many local companies, demonstrating our strengths in logistics for remote areas, backup, local knowledge, and construction capabilities with our commitment to Safety and Quality. Although our price was not the lowest, First Solar made the right choice and did not “risk a delay.” The project was labeled a high-profile project by the UAE with an eye toward boosting Dubai as a destination to promote green energy and to reduce its carbon footprint, which will help Dubai for the upcoming Expo 2020.

Although the construction value of the project is small (only US $13 million), the difficult part was coordinating the mobilization and construction in a very short period. Total duration was six months
(May to September 2013), but this short period included rock finding, summer heat, sand storms, Ramadan leave, holidays, and Eid.

The project ushers in the beginning of CCC’s pursuit to start the “Construction of Renewable Energy Projects.”

The generating capacity is 13 MW of clean energy.

• The project will generate 24 million kWh of electricity per year.
• The project required more than 800 man-days and 1.4 million man-hours to complete, all of which were accidentfree.
• The project will eliminate 15,000 metric tons of CO2 per year.
• Performance ratio is more than 83 percent.
• The project is powered by 152,880 P modules, 32,000 rails, 18,000 beams, 8,700 posts, 3,000 meters of fencing, 13 inverter buildings, and 1 control 33 kV substation.
• The project covers an area of 280,00 sq meters.
• Operating date: 4th Quarter of 2013.