Innovation

The company has two types of business. The main business is the installation of solar systems on roofs. SirajPower buys, but does not make the solar panels and then engineers, studies, operates, and maintains the system. Through a leasing system, SirajPower leases its customers' rooftops to install solar systems that are fully financed and owned by them. In this way, the customer benefits from green energy and discounted energy prices in exchange for renting their rooftop. In Dubai, the local energy network is called DEWA. Without SirajPower's discounts, customers would have to pay the normal DEWA prices for the energy they use. "For example, if the local price is €1, we sell the kWh of energy at €0.75, which is a 25% discount, and over the years we get back what we invested," says Thibaud Duchateau.

It is indeed a complex situation. To begin with, SirajPower needs a lot of funding because it pays for everything out of its own pocket; the customer doesn't invest any money. "It takes about 7 to 10 years to be cost efficient and make a profit," Thibaud says.

Thibaud Duchateau informed us that around this initial business, SirajPower has created an additional business in the hybrid sector, the "Off-Grid Hybrid Power Business". This recently developed innovation offers a mix between solar system, diesel generators and batteries for storage, perfect for remote operations. This enables off-grid consumers in various industries (e.g. in the desert far from the city) to enjoy cost-effective and reliable 24/7 power, reduce their operating costs and start on the path to a more sustainable future. This also enables SirajPower to supply its customers not only when they are able to produce solar energy, but to supply 100% of their consumption whenever and wherever they want.

It also means that SirajPower is the only supplier to its customer, so if the system goes down, the customer does not have any power. In the main business, the customer is always connected to the local grid. In this case, if the solar panels stop working, the customer can still use energy, but at DEWA's local prices.

Both of SirajPower's businesses are aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, the company plays a key role in the seventh goal: developing affordable and clean energy. In fact, SirajPower's solar systems generate and provide 100% clean energy at lower and more affordable prices for customers. The company is also contributing to Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities. The company is helping Dubai become a more sustainable city and indirectly helping the United Arab Emirates achieve its goal of using 75% renewable energy and becoming energy self-sufficient by 2050.

Inspiration

Most countries in the Middle East, and the UAE in particular, are heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which are finite. There is an urgent need to find new ways of generating energy using clean and renewable resources, such as solar power in Dubai. SirajPower was created in 2015, when the government developed the SHAMS organization. Thibaud Duchateau describes it as a program that "allows people to connect to the grid and have solar systems on their roofs". The company is now fully owned by Green Coast Enterprises, a local family business founded in 1977 that employs around 130 people.

Overall impact

Such innovation in the energy field not only provides short, medium, and long-term benefits to the company and the local community, but is also capable of creating a virtuous example for the industry and thus pushes competitors towards innovative green solutions. The environmental benefit is immediate and capable of increasing, thanks to the commitment of other companies, also in the long term. In the social field, there is also greater awareness of the importance of investing in solar energy and better living conditions in the medium term due to reduced pollution, less dependence on fossil fuels, smarter and less polluted cities, and more accessible and less expensive, as well as more sustainable, energy solutions.

Business benefit

With its initial leasing system, SirajPower invests a lot of money and does not make a profit for several years. However, this and their new hybrid power business is enabling SirajPower to sign more contracts with different types of customers (on-grid and off-grid). Thibaud Duchateau explains: "Customers enjoy many benefits by switching to the use of solar panels. These include paying only for the energy produced by the solar system, no upfront capital costs, significant savings, risk and hassle-free cleaning and full maintenance of the system, and of course the use of environmentally friendly and sustainable energy".

The company has been very successful since its inception. Today, SirajPower has installed 100 megawatts of solar power. They want to be able to produce at least one gigawatt, the equivalent of 1,000 megawatts, in the next 5 years. "Basically, the company has to grow ten times bigger in the next 5 years," explains Thibaud Duchateau.

This success has enabled the company to open offices in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, and eventually in Oman. SirajPower has reached an impressive milestone by owning the largest distributed solar energy portfolio.

Social and environmental benefit

SirajPower's impact on society comes through conferences, activities, and partnerships. Thibaud Duchateau shows that the installation of solar panels on schools is becoming more common because of their high energy consumption. In this case, they often propose activities with students to explain the benefits of having solar panels on their roof. The company is also taking part in an increasing number of conferences. Laurent Longuet, CEO of SirajPower, will be speaking at COP28, currently taking place in Dubai. Finally, SirajPower has signed partnerships with major companies such as DP world UAE, a logistics company in Dubai and one of the largest in the world, for whom SirajPower has installed hybrid systems on containers destined for other countries or for natural reserves in Kenya. This partnership is also in line with the United Nations' 9th Goal of building resilient infrastructure, promoting sustainable industrialisation and fostering innovation.

SirajPower's innovation has an inevitable impact on the environment. The solar system will produce energy from the sun and its radiation that we receive, without any additional pollution. Thibaud Duchateau gives us a concrete and visual example of how their innovation reduces carbon emissions with a customer's bill. "For a monthly energy production of 416,000 kWh, around 300,000 kg of CO2 emissions have been avoided, which is equivalent to 1,160,000 km driven by an average passenger car or 37,602,807 mobile phone charges. All this energy for a site at 2.9 megawatts peak, a unit of measurement for the power output from a source such as solar or wind, where the output can vary according to the strength of the sunlight or wind speed.

Interview

Thibaud Duchateau, Head of Operations & Maintenance