RIYADH – Saudi Aramco recently inaugurated a 3.5 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Riyadh, regarded as the largest ground-mounted PV plant in the Kingdom. The project utilizes 12,700 Suntech 280 watt PV modules mounted on fixed arrays, covering an area of 55,000 square meters at the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC). The estimated 5,800 MWh annual output of the PV plant will enable KAPSARC to achieve a platinum LEED certificate. Suntech noted that its PV modules recently passed the Blowing Sand Test based on DIN EN 60068-2-68 by SGS SA (Geneva, Switzerland), which it says makes them suitable for desert regions. The company has had a presence in the Middle East since 2008, when it opened a regional office in Dubai. — SG
