wiredinUSA January 2013

INDEX

Lear Corporation has announced that its new automotive wiring plant in Morocco's Amer Safliaarea is scheduled to open in 2013. The plant will create around 700 jobs, and is expected to increase significantly in the future based on the projected growth in Lear's Electrical Power Management Systems business. Lear currently operates three plants in Morocco – two in Tangier for electrical wiring systems and automotive seating, and one in Rabat, supplying electronics such as battery chargers to European car makers including BMW, Renault and Volkswagen. "Lear is proud to plan the opening of another world-class automotive electrical wiring plant as we focus on our customers' needs," said Mariano de Torres, Lear vice-president, Europe/Africa - electrical and electronics. "We also are pleased to be working with Morocco's MEDZ Atlantic Free Zone Investment and Fonciere Chella." Lear launches new facility

Solar collaboration

South Sudan steel

The UAE’s Shams 1 solar project will be the first large-scale solar project in the country when it is completed at the end of the year, and the largest of its kind in the Middle East. At full capacity, the 100MW concentrated solar project will power 20,000 homes. "We truly believe solar will be a major con- tributor to meeting our own requirements," said Sultan Ahmed al-Jaber, the UAE's spe- cial envoy for energy and climate change, and the CEO of government-funded Masdar, the majority investor in the project. "We are not like many other countries today that are in desperate need for complementary sources of power," Jaber said. "We are looking at it from a strategic point of view...we want to become a technology player, rather than an energy player." The Middle East region has largely avoided solar power on the grounds of cost, but technological advances have reduced costs and many oil-gas rich countries are reconsidering renewables amid growing demands for power. There are also fears, especially in Saudi Arabia, that their once seemingly limitless oil resources may have peaked and they could, in time, become net oil importers. Solar taking shape in UAE

Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd is to supply approximately 100MW of solar panels for two projects being developed, built and operated by a consortium led by Main- stream Renewable Power in South Africa. The projects, at two separate sites in the Northern Cape of South Africa, will be designed and constructed by Siemens and operational by mid-2014. The solar systems are expected to gener- ate 180GW hours of electricity, enough to power approximately 15,000 households and displace approximately 180,000 tons of carbon emissions per year. "We are all proud to participate in the South African government's first round of tenders and be awarded as suppliers for these two photovoltaic plants. The combination of Suntech's technology and Siemens' execution strength as well as our strong local team set-up will form a perfect partnership that will set the highest standard for our partner Mainstream Renewable Power Ltd," stated Ted Scheidegger, CEO of Siemens solar and hydro division. The 100MW solar plants are among the first projects to be granted licenses under South Africa's first renewable energy independent power producer program (REIPPP).

The construction industry in Africa's newest nation, South Sudan, will receive a boost when a steel manufacturing facility begins operations in Juba early next year. Edward International Company Ltd started operations in January 2012 and has now established a factory to produce steel products including iron sheets and bars, electric cables and water pipes. "We will be producing all types of different building materials locally here. Since we will be producing locally, we [can offer a] competitive price," said general manager Kirolos Edward Assad. South Sudan is witnessing a rapid devel- opment drive after decades of civil war, but using chiefly imported construction materials. Starting with paint production in February 2013, the factory expects to employ over three thousand South Sudanese in the plant. Meanwhile, the under-secretary of commerce, industry and investment, Mr Simon Nyany Anei, has appealed for more investors to come to the Republic of South Sudan, explaining: "We need more industries for the development of South Sudan."

ASIA / AFRICA NEWS

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wiredInUSA - January 2013

wiredInUSA - January 2013

41