Solar power from Beirut River

$40-million project financed by Energy Ministry

The first local solar farm will be constructed along the Beirut River. It will provide up to 10 MW of electricity once connected to the national grid. The ‘Beirut River Solar Snake’ project is governed by the Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) and the Lebanese Center for Energy Conservation (LCEC).
The project’s first phase will see the installation of solar panels across 20,000 square meters of the river's bed, generating 1 MW as a start.

The first phase is expected to be completed within a period of six months. A pre-qualification round for interested firms will take place on April 23. Local and foreign technical experts have been invited to set the technical specs and regulations of the bid. The first contract is expected to be awarded in July this year.

Overall, the project comprises ten phases. Each phase has a budget of $4 million fully funded by the MoEW. “The $4 million figure is the maximum budget set, but the bid will attract contractors that will provide lower cost estimates,” said Ziad El Zein, Vice President of the LCEC. Revenue generated from each phase will be used to fund the later phases. “A new phase will be launched every time the funds for a 1 MW facility are secured,” Zein said. By the end of all the phases, 6.5 kilometers of the Beirut River will be covered by solar panels generating a total of 10 MW and connected to the Electricité Du Liban (EDL) grid.

The solar panels will be installed across the River’s concrete structure six meters above the water level. Given that the river is on a downward sloping, the risk of submersion is minimal. Maintenance of the panels is expected to be part of the contract signed with the winning bidder.


Reported by Nader Houella