Petra Solar, NOGA, BAPCO, and Caspian Energy Announce Landmark Smart Solar Project in Bahrain.

Petra Solar, The National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), The Bahrain Petroleum Company, and Caspian Energy Holdings Announce Landmark Smart Solar Project in Bahrain

Distributed Smart Solar Energy Project in Awali breaks new ground by bringing both solar power and smart grid technology as a first step towards building a smart city in the Gulf

(Manama, Bahrain – May 20, 2012) Petra Solar, a technology company focused on providing reliable, cost-effective smart energy solutions to the electric supply industry, The National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA), The Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO) and Caspian Energy Holdings today announced an agreement for a five megawatt distributed smart solar energy project that will bring solar and smart grid benefits to the BAPCO township of Awali, the University of Bahrain and other locations in Bahrain. The project will leverage smart solar technology developed in the U.S. by Petra Solar to generate electricity in a reliable way that stabilizes the grid and will potentially create jobs at several skill levels in Bahrain. The project, a collaborative effort among the US consortium, NOGA, BAPCO, The Electricity & Water Authority (EWA), academia, industry, and government, demonstrates Bahrain’s commitment to solve the challenges of energy security, climate change, and economic development through global partnerships and collaboration. It is the first phase of a national energy plan to generate electricity from renewable sources. Smart solar is an innovative approach that couples solar with smart grid technology and is deployed in partnership with utility companies to generate clean, safe renewable energy while making the electric infrastructure more stable, efficient and energy independent. This approach builds large scale solar in a reliable fashion that avoids future costs of rebuilding the grid.

His Excellency Dr. Abdul Hussain bin Ali Mirza – Minister of Energy, Chairman of The National Oil and Gas Authority announced on this occasion: “The project in Awali represents just the first step in a series of initiatives by NOGA to diversify the sources of energy needed to ensure the sustainable development of the Kingdom.  Following a successful implementation of this pilot project we expect that other projects will follow in the near future.  Through forming strategic alliances with technologically advanced partners, NOGA aims to diversify the energy supply sources that will help achieve the goals of Bahrain Vision 2030.”

Further, Mr. Gordon Smith - Chief Executive, The Bahrain Petroleum Company said: “The landscape of Awali will be changed by this initiative; but more than the landscape, the operating philosophy of BAPCO which relied totally on fossil fuels for generating its electricity, will also change as a result of this project.  Through this step BAPCO reinforces its image as a responsible corporate citizen that cares for the environment and the community we live in.”
The project, featuring a high-tech research and development component inside Bahrain, offers the country a chance to be a leader in the new energy future. It is the first step in building a powerful ecosystem in Awali, based on Petra Solar’s technology.

“Solar power and a stable electric grid are critical elements to Bahrain developing economic and energy security,” said Dr. Shihab Kuran, President and CEO of Petra Solar. “In Awali, we are deploying solar power plus we are building a wireless smart grid network, which is the foundation for command and control of the smart solar systems and unique smart grid applications. Petra Solar is the market leader in advanced smart energy technologies for Smart Cities, incorporating ubiquitous renewable energy and smart grid technology, coupled with autonomous and centralized command and control.”

“The Middle East has for some time evaluated the integration of solar energy for reduction of reliance on non-renewable energy sources,” said Mr. Marty Youssefiani, CEO of Caspian Energy Holdings. “Bahrain, however, is among the first in the region to implement a project of this kind, demonstrating a serious commitment to long term solutions." The chief executive added, “"This consortium brings together a broad array of expertise and superior technologies in support of a world-class project, showcasing the future of sustainable, renewable, clean energy.”

About Petra Solar
Petra Solar is a technology company, focused on providing reliable, cost effective smart energy solutions that power smart communities. Founded in 2006, Petra Solar revolutionized the industry by pioneering smart solar technology that combines distributed solar energy generation with smart grid communications and improved grid reliability features to create a utility grade solution that delivers high economic value.

While building a smart grid communications infrastructure, Petra Solar’s innovative SunWave™ smart solar system provides distributed clean, renewable energy that ties directly into the electric grid, and does not require an upgrade to either the current transmission or distribution infrastructure, eliminating grid interconnection issues and costs faced by traditional solar systems. In addition, the SunWave distributed solar and smart grid technology prevents instabilities caused by intermittent renewable energy sources, which enables utilities to maintain high power quality for electric customers as solar deployment growth accelerates.

Petra Solar’s smart grid communications network for centralized command and control is the first step toward building a smart community. It is the foundation for future smart energy applications such as outage management, AMI, streetlight control and demand response. Petra Solar’s IntelliView™ intelligent energy management platform provides a suite of state-of-the-art services to manage a wide range of smart grid applications.

Petra Solar's smart energy systems are the culmination of more than 20 years of research and development, and are being deployed in both the largest distributed solar electric project and the largest rooftop project in the world today. For more information about Petra Solar visit www.petrasolar.com.

About the National Oil and Gas Authority (NOGA)
The National Oil and Gas Authority is the governmental authority in Bahrain tasked with overseeing and regulating all of the oil and gas activities in the Kingdom.  One of the principal activities of NOGA entails the conservation of the valuable national resources to support the sustainable economic development of the Kingdom as expounded in Bahrain Vision 2030. Generation of power through the utilization of renewable resources is within the mandate of the Authority and hence the Authority sanctioned the pilot project in Awali.

About nogaholding
nogaholding is the investment and development arm of The National Oil and Gas Authority.  This holding company is the steward of the government’s share of investment in several oil and gas related entities in the Kingdom. The company is also entrusted with setting up joint ventures and other associated companies in which the government of Bahrain has a stake.

About The Bahrain Petroleum Company (BAPCO)
The Bahrain Petroleum Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of nogaholding. The company is engaged in the downstream oil and gas industry. The company refines both domestic and imported crudes in its 260,000 barrels a day refinery.  It supplies the domestic market requirements and the Bahrain International Airport with all the product requirements. The balance of 90% is exported to customers worldwide.  The company is also responsible for the distribution of gas to the nation’s power plants, industries and other consumers.

About Caspian Energy Holdings
Caspian Energy Holdings, LLC (CEH) is a Washington DC based international energy, economic development and public affairs enterprise, providing governments and multi-nationals long-term, tailor made, solutions through strategic, innovative thinking.  CEH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Caspian Group, a multi disciplinary group of companies with broad interests in the fields of energy, infrastructure development, high technology and publishing.

For more information:
Mary Grikas
Vice President Communications, Petra Solar
Phone: 732.429.3908
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it