Laurent Longuet, Middle East Managing Director of SunPower Corporation, the solar energy subsidiary of leading international oil company Total, will participate in a panel debate on the solar technologies best suited to the Middle East climate at the sixth MENASOL conference and exhibition in Dubai from May 6-7.
The discussion on day two of the annual trade event will examine the merits of mono- and poly-crystalline solar panels and thin-film technology in desert conditions.

Longuet will share insights based on SunPowers global portfolio of photovoltaic (PV) installations and utility-scale projects, and its 10 years of experience in the Middle East, where the company has so far deployed 6.5 megawatts (MW) of on-grid solar systems and 5MW of off-grid applications, the latter mainly for the oil and gas sector.

SunPower technology is tailor-made for the arid conditions of the Gulf, said Longuet. SunPower solar cells produce up to 60% more energy over a 25-year period than conventional modules thanks to their efficiency and highly robust all-back-contact design.
Tracker solutions for ground-mounted projects also maximise efficiency while a recently introduced robotic power plant panel cleaning solution conserves water and reduces the effect of dust on solar cell output, he added.

The 2MW rooftop PV installation at the King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST) near Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and the 1MW system at the Masdar Institute of Science & Technology in Abu Dhabi are among SunPowers highest profile projects in the region, illustrating the suitability of its technology in desert conditions.

Also participating in the MENASOL panel discussion are representatives of the Masdar Institute of Science & Technology, IHS Research and Solar Frontier.