Minister lauds renewable energy use initiatives

Manama, Apr. 14 (BNA): Electricity and Water Affairs Minister Dr. Abdulhussain Mirza received President of the Jafari Endowments Council Shaikh Mohsin Al Asfoor and the Acting Director of the Endowment Department, Ali Mirza. They were accompanied by a delegation from Korean company Gaya Steel Works, headed by Executive Director of the Energy Sector Ibrahim Hasan and James Kim.The company specialises in a number of engineering fields, including the development of renewable energy applications. The minister praised the initiatives supporting the government's efforts to enhance the utilization of renewable energy and the direct interest of Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Shaikh Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Khalifa in such initiatives in benefiting from solar energy in mosques. The minister commended the initiatives of the council, under the leadership of Shaikh Mohsin Al Asfoor, stressing that all these initiatives come from the government's keen interest in encouraging clean energy for comprehensive development. The minister reviewed plans and projects of renewable energy in Bahrain and initiatives to benefit from sustainable resources in cooperation and coordination between the Sustainable Energy Unit and the UNDP. The minister also briefed them on development plans and initiatives to take advantage of solar energy by connecting a number of residential in the Jidhafs area, which produce solar energy and are connected to the government electricity network through a net metering system. He said work to connect a new group of houses in the Awali area is ongoing. Dr. Mirza explained the idea of expanding the use of renewable energy for waqf properties as well as the activities and programmes of Gaya Steel Works and their desire to open avenues of cooperation between the company and the Electricity and Water Authority and the Sustainable Energy Unit in existing and future projects. Shaikh Asfoor expressed his appreciation to Dr. Mirza for his support, stressing that the council is continuing to implement pilot projects in this area by activating the use of solar energy in places of worship and other facilities, including mansions and investment properties, and to provide these systems and techniques with coordination and consultation with their supervisors and their sponsors, which would contribute to energy saving and supply to the national electricity grid. This, he added, would also provide a source of income for mosques through a project of selling surplus solar energy to the national electricity grid. The visitors thanked the minister and the officials of the Sustainable Energy Unit for their cooperation in areas of mutual interest.