- New Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant at 1.17 GW to play key role in Badeel and ACWA Power efforts to advance Saudi National Renewable Energy Program
- NX Horizon-XTR™ all-terrain solar tracker systems to deliver enhanced yield while minimizing environmental impact on project site
- The Al Kahfah project reinforces Nextracker’s commitment to the MEIA region with over 10 GW of smart solar tracking systems either operational or under fulfilment
Bengaluru, 21 February, 2024 – Nextracker (Nasdaq: NXT), a leading global provider of intelligent solar tracker and software solutions, announced it was selected by ACWA Power and Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T) to provide its all-terrain tracker NX Horizon-XTR™ for a 1.17 GW installation at Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant, a strategically important renewable energy project in Saudi’s Central Province that is part of the National Renewable Energy Program.
Al Kahfah is one of the three major solar PV Independent Power Producer (IPP) projects being led by Badeel and ACWA Power. This solar plant will provide clean energy to the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) as part of the renewable energy projects essential to meet the targets of Vision 2030 and the Ministry of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Program to increase renewables in the nation’s energy mix to 50% by 2030. Global construction giant L&T has also been awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract for the Al Kahfah Solar Power Plant.
The Al Kahfah project will deploy Nextracker’s NX Horizon-XTR smart solar tracker systems. The area the solar plant will occupy is dominated by a hilly, hard-soil land surface that would typically require a combination of explosives and grading machines to flatten the land the new solar tracking system will cover. First delivered in 2018 and proven on dozens of utility scale projects successfully operating around the world, Nextracker’s all-terrain solar tracker system can conform to the natural terrain to reduce the need for costly land grading while significantly reducing environmental impact.
The Al Kahfah project in Saudi Arabia represents Nextracker’s largest deployment of its NX Horizon-XTR solar tracker technology in a single order to date. This planned Al Kahfah installation has also contributed to Nextracker achieving a significant milestone in the growing Middle East, India, and Africa (MEIA) solar energy market. This 1.17 GW order further reinforces Nextracker’s commitment to this market, having over 10 GW of smart solar trackers either operational or under fulfilment across the region.
As part of its support to ACWA Power and the Al Kahfah project, Nextracker has extended its domestic content and capacity development program in the Kingdom. Nextracker has engaged a range of local partners in providing raw material and manufacturing support for its trackers at plants across the region.
Nextracker previously partnered with ACWA Power and L&T on the Sudair Solar PV Plant (906 MW) to provide its intelligent solar trackers boosting energy generation for these plants.
Dan Shugar, Nextracker founder and CEO said: “We are honored to partner again with both ACWA Power and Larsen & Toubro Ltd for another significant project in the region. Our partnership with these two industry leaders has contributed greatly to Nextracker’s local commitment with over 10 GW of solar trackers already installed or under fulfilment across the MEIA region’s rapidly expanding solar energy market. We are confident that Nextracker will contribute greatly to the Al Kahfah plant—yet another example of Saudi government leadership in the energy transition and to the dominance of solar technology driving the transition to renewables in the region.”
Marco Arcelli, ACWA Power CEO, added: “We are looking forward to a successful commissioning of this important new plant to ensure ongoing delivery of reliable, low-cost clean energy for families and businesses. Our partnerships with technology providers such as Nextracker are essential in supporting our role in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious National Renewable Energy Plan to increase the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix to 50% by 2030.”
Bharathi Kumar, General Manager (Renewable International) of Larsen & Toubro Construction said: “Nextracker’s solutions offer great flexibility to configure solar tracking systems at project sites for premium performance. The pre-assembled components, single-row architecture and robotic cleaning compatibility ensure efficient operations and management over the lifecycle of every project. Nextracker’s robust design with keen emphasis on wind engineering make its trackers most suitable for the region.”
About NX Horizon-XTR™
NX Horizon-XTR, a new variation of the industry-leading smart solar tracker NX Horizon, conforms to the natural terrain, generating a series of benefits, such as:
- Eliminating cut-and-fill earthworks
- Reducing pier lengths
- Easing permitting
- Softening environmental impacts
This new smart solar tracking system also contributes to accelerating project construction schedules that help save time and money.
About Nextracker
Nextracker is a leading provider of intelligent, integrated solar tracker and software solutions used in utility-scale and distributed generation solar projects around the world. Its products enable solar panels to follow the sun’s movement across the sky and optimize plant performance. With plants operating in more than thirty countries worldwide, Nextracker offers solar tracker technologies that increase energy production while reducing costs for significant plant ROI. For more information, visit Nextracker. Stay in touch with us: X, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube.
About ACWA Power
ACWA Power (TADAWUL:2082) is a Saudi-listed company and the world’s largest private water desalination company, the first mover into green hydrogen, and a leader in energy transition. Registered and established in 2004 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ACWA Power employs over 4,000 people and is currently present in 12 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. ACWA Power’s portfolio comprises 77 projects in operation, advanced development, or construction with an investment value of SAR 310. 5 billion (USD 82.8 billion), and the capacity to generate 53.69 GW of power and manage 7.64 million m3/day of desalinated water per day, delivered on a bulk basis to address the needs of state utilities and industries on long term, off-taker contracts under utility services outsourcing and Public-Private-Partnership models. Learn more: www.acwapower.com
About Larsen & Toubro Limited
Larsen & Toubro is a USD 23 billion Indian multinational engaged in EPC Projects, Hi-Tech Manufacturing and Services. It operates in over 50 countries worldwide. A strong, customer focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for eight decades.
