Nextpower Arabia has landed a major contract to supply 2.25 gigawatts of intelligent solar tracking technology for the Bisha Solar project in Saudi Arabia. This agreement with engineering firm Larsen & Toubro (L&T) marks the first significant deal for the newly established joint venture between Nextpower and Abunayyan Holding.

The Bisha site, situated in the Asir Province, stands as the largest installation within “Wave 6” of the National Renewable Energy Program. Developed by a consortium led by ACWA Power, the project was secured via the Saudi Power Procurement Company to help meet the country’s carbon reduction targets.

By utilizing local manufacturing and supply chains, the joint venture aims to speed up the rollout of large-scale solar plants while training a local workforce. Bharathi Kumar, general manager (Renewable International) at 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. Localizing 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.”

Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of 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.”

Turki Al-Amri, Chairman and CEO of Nextpower Arabia, added: “The Bisha project will significantly contribute to national and regional renewable energy transformation objectives. By manufacturing and producing Nextpower Arabia systems in the Kingdom, we can deliver a wide range of benefits from our newly localized solar supply chain for our development partners while advancing Saudi’s national industrialization strategy.”

The deal follows an earlier announcement by ACWA Power and partners to invest $8.3 billion into seven renewable plants. Nextpower has now supported more than 6 GW of projects across the region since starting with the Sakaka Solar Park in 2018.