Masdar Solar Construction Projects

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Masdar Solar Construction Projects

Masdar starts construction on four new solar projects

Abu Dhabi-based renewable energy company Masdar has kicked off the construction for four new solar-power projects in the Pacific island countries of Kiribati, Fiji, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Financed under the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development’s $50 million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund, the solar projects will collectively deliver 1.8 megawatts (MW) of clean energy and contribute to fuel savings worth $2 million per year, said a statement.

The completion of the projects is expected by the second half of next year, it said.

The projects highlight Masdar’s role in the region, where it has already delivered the La’a Lahi ‘Big Sun’ solar plant in Tonga, commissioned in November last year, and Samoa’s first wind farm, commissioned in August.

Both of these projects were also financed through the UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund.

Dr Ahmad Belhoul, chief executive officer, said: “Access to clean energy is a pathway toward economic and social development.

“For Pacific islands, which rely on imported fuel for electricity generation, renewable energy provides a viable alternative. In fact, wind and solar power projects deliver immediate savings, while underpinning long-term energy security.”

The $50-million UAE-Pacific Partnership Fund was launched in March 2013 by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nayhan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs, and administered by the ministry’s Directorate of Energy and Climate Change.

The fund covers the full project development spectrum, from feasibility studies through to operation and maintenance training. Grants are untied, enabling local companies to participate.

Source: Trade Arabia

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Moving Abroad Checklist

Initial Considerations

Will your partner be travelling with you?

If so, what will they be giving up in your present home and will they be able to continue with their career in your new home? You will need to check whether a separate visa is required for your partner to work or if your visa gives that right. If they are unable to work you will need to decide on the effect on your finances and what alternatives are available to give a fulfilling life (home business, training, voluntary work).

Are you taking family with you?

Moving with family raises many exciting opportunities, but also can create challenges. The HSBC Expat Explorer survey indicates that expat kids can take six months to settle in to their new country (see article). Getting young or even older children to prepare to move and leave their friends and family behind can be a challenge and should be thought through.

The options for education is another area that needs to be thought through.

Moving your child to a new country with a different education system can be a great opportunity to broaden their experience, but if they are close to key exams the timing can make this inadvisable. If you do take your family with you, it is important to decide between joining the local school system or choosing an international school.

Where will you be living?

Whether you will be living in a house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, these decisions will affect what you need to take with you. The time you are planning to live overseas will also affect whether you should leave your property at home empty, rent it out or sell it. See the article Sell, Store or Ship.