Saudi Arabia: Indian construction conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has signed up Nextpower Arabia, the newly formed joint venture between Nextpower (formerly Nextracker) and Abunayyan Holding, to provide 2.25 gigawatts (GWp) of advanced solar tracking systems for the Bisha Solar project being developed by an Acwa-led consortium.

Located in the kingdom's Asir Province, the project was procured by the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) as part of Wave 6 of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) overseen by the Ministry of Energy.

Bisha is the largest of the Wave 6 solar projects. The project represents a significant addition to Saudi Arabia’s expanding utility-scale portfolio and supports the kingdom’s long-term energy and decarbonisation objectives.

This new 2.25 GWp order is the first major project to be fulfilled through the Nextpower Arabia joint venture, now fully operational.

Through localised sales, manufacturing, delivery and supply chain capabilities, Nextpower Arabia will support the efficient deployment of utility-scale solar power plants, while advancing industrial development and workforce development in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Bharathi Kumar, General Manager (Renewable International), L&T, said: "We have tremendous confidence in Nextpower Arabia to provide the most advanced utility-grade solar solutions that will help us deliver maximum performance and low-cost clean energy through the new Bisha Solar Plant long into the future."

"Localising the production of these new systems that will form the foundation of the Bisha plant will deliver greater efficiencies throughout the development process while reducing the cost and impact of international shipping," he stated.

Dan Shugar, founder and CEO, Nextpower, said: "The Mena region is a top strategic priority for Nextpower. This project builds on our longstanding partnerships with ACWA Power and L&T and marks an important milestone for our new joint venture with Abunayyan Holding."

"Through Nextpower Arabia, we are localizing the industry’s most resilient and intelligent solar plant technologies, engineered specifically for the region’s demanding conditions, while strengthening the local supply chain to support Saudi Arabia’s long-term energy transition goals," he added.