Chinese inverter and battery energy storage system (BESS) manufacturer, Sungrow, has successfully signed an agreement with Saudi engineering procurement and construction (EPC) company Algihaz Holding. The deal, made in July 2024, covers three major projects, with a combined capacity of 7.8GWh.
At Sungrow’s Global Renewable Energy Summit in Hefei, China, on April 9, Algihaz Vice President Dr. Mohamed Shatla shared updates on the projects, which are part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 modernization plan. These projects are located in Najran, Asir, and Jazan provinces, and will use Sungrow’s PowerTitan 2.0, integrated with power conversion systems (PCS), also known as the AC block.
The Najran project, with a capacity of 683.8MW/2,607MWh and a 3.8-hour duration, is set to feature grid-forming and black start capabilities. Remarkably, the manufacturing of BESS units for all three projects was completed in just 58 days, with shipments beginning from Taicang port in Jiangsu province. The construction of these projects started simultaneously, and the system commissioning is currently in progress.
Dr. Shatla confirmed that the Najran project will be completed this summer, just 14 months after the agreement was signed. Over 200 Sungrow engineers have been stationed in Saudi Arabia to assist with the project’s completion.
As part of its Vision 2030 decarbonization targets, Saudi Arabia needs approximately 48GWh of large-scale BESS by 2030. Over the past 12 months, state and private sector bodies have accelerated projects of unprecedented scale, with many Chinese companies leading the way in technology provision.
In a notable development, the largest BESS completed this year is a 500MW/2,000MWh facility by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) in Bisha, Saudi Arabia. Additionally, the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC) is currently tendering 2GW/8GWh of BESS for four large projects.
Chinese electric vehicle and BESS company BYD has already secured 15.1GWh of BESS orders from Saudi Electricity Company, including the Bisha project.
In other news, Sungrow’s partner, BW ESS, discussed a significant UK project the two companies are working on at the event.
BYD Supplies BESS for Oasis de Atacama Project in Chile
In Chile, BYD is providing BESS for Grenergy’s Oasis de Atacama project, a solar-plus-storage initiative. The project is being developed in seven phases, with a total capacity of 11GWh of energy storage and 11GW of solar PV. The first two phases, Quillagua 1 and 2, featuring 221MW of solar PV and 1.2GWh of storage, are already operational. Grenergy has sold these initial phases, along with the third phase, to investor ContourGlobal.
Recently, Grenergy announced that its fourth break bulk vessel, carrying 150 BYD battery units, is on its way from Dachan Port in China to Iquique, Chile. These units are intended for the Victor Jara phase, which will add another 800MWh of storage to the project. The journey takes six weeks and marks the heaviest load Grenergy has ever shipped.
Chile has become a key hub for grid-scale BESS as the country tackles high levels of solar PV energy curtailment. Nearly all large-scale solar projects in the country are adding BESS capacity, with standalone projects also in development. To address curtailment issues, Chile requires around 3.4GW of BESS, with more systems expected to help with grid stability and energy intermittency challenges.
