Alfanar said its consortium comprising Al Blagha Group and DTI has become a key bidder for a 70MW [Madinah and Rafha] Solar Round II project along with the First Solar group. The project is being developed by the Renewable Energy Project Development Office (Repdo), which is part of Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources.

Repdo is said to have received these bids as part of Category A within Round II of its National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), which includes six solar power schemes with a total photovoltaic capacity of 1.47GW.

As per a statement, Round I was launched by the organisation in 2017 with key projects including the Sakaka 300MW solar PV project, now connected to the national electricity grid, and the Dumat Al Jandal 400MW wind project, that is currently under construction. This was followed by Round II launch in July 2019.

Round Three projects have been divided into two categories: Category A which target smaller companies, includes Layla 80MW solar PV and Wadi Al Dawaser 120MW solar PV projects, and Category B that includes Saad 300MW solar PV and Ar Rass 700MW solar PV projects, said Faisal Alyemni, head of Repdo.

“Round Three will carry a minimum requirement of 17% local content as calculated by the mechanisms defined by the Local Content & Government Procurement Authority, which aims to increase the value-added contribution of products and services in the national economy,” Alyemni explained.