SNOC’s engagement with photovoltaic (PV) solar power generation started in 2019 with the commissioning of two small solar plants at the corporation’s two marine loading terminals located in Hamriyyah, Sharjah. The first plant to be built was EG911, a 300 kWp facility commissioned on 22 June. A second smaller 30 kWp facility, EG912, entered service on 2 July. Both these plants are tied to and synchronised with the local utility grid; however, they are sized in such a way that all electrical energy is used on site with no surplus. Both plants use a simple design with rows of south-facing polycrystalline PV panels, at a fixed 20° angle, connected to the existing facility through string inverters. Although small, the plants demonstrated the potential for integrating solar power plants into existing brownfield hydrocarbon facilities and gave SNOC’s engineers and management the confidence to proceed with the construction of a larger utility-scale plant.

Formally commissioned on 25 June 2025, the 60 MW Sana solar power plant was constructed using rows of monocrystalline bifacial panels mounted on single-axis east-west trackers. The name ‘Sana’, meaning ‘to shine’ in Arabic and a popular female name, reflects the plant’s purpose and cultural resonance. A total of 98,397 solar panels and 166 string inverters were installed across an 850,000 m² site adjacent to the Al Sajaa hydrocarbon processing complex.

Like its predecessors, Sana is connected to both the hydrocarbon processing facility and the utility grid. However, it is sized to generate approximately three times the electrical energy consumed by the Al Sajaa plant. During periods of low solar output – such as nighttime or overcast conditions – the system draws power from the grid. Conversely, when solar generation exceeds on-site demand, the surplus is exported to the grid, generating revenue through net metering. This setup further supports the local utility, as electricity demand in the UAE peaks during hot daylight hours, primarily due to demand from air conditioning, when solar output is also at its highest.

Preferential use of solar 
Electricity generated by the solar plant is used in the connected facility first, with the grid used to make up any shortfall. This arrangement is commercially desirable. On all three of SNOC’s solar farms, this is achieved by voltage and phase control at the inverters, which convert the direct current (DC) generated by solar panels into alternating current (AC) and synchronise with the grid’s AC frequency and voltage.

Two technical characteristics of the system accomplish this:

• Voltage control: To ensure that solar power is used preferentially, the inverter slightly increases the voltage of the solar-generated electricity compared to the grid voltage. This higher voltage causes the electrical load to draw power from the solar inverter first.
• Phase leading: Inverters also adjust the phase angle of the AC power they produce. By leading the phase of the grid power (that is, the inverter’s voltage waveform is slightly ahead of the grid’s), the inverter can effectively push more power into the oil and gas facilities’ electrical system. This phase leading ensures that the solar power is used before any grid power.

It is important to emphasise that under this arrangement, the transition between grid and solar power happens seamlessly without any switching or other transient effects. Although there were concerns during the commissioning of EG911 and EG912, in practice, the phase lead (<3%) and voltage adjustments (<10 volts) are so small that they were found to have no effect on any plant equipment, including sophisticated metering instruments and distributed control systems.

Static frequency conversion 
Both SNOC’s marine terminals operate at a frequency of 50 Hz and were already connected to the utility grid, which made the connection of EG911 and EG912 straightforward. This was not the case for the larger Sana plant, as the Al Sajaa gas plant was built to a 60 Hz standard by the American Amoco company and had never been previously connected to the utility grid.

To solve this problem, four 2.25 MVA static frequency converters (SFCs) were installed. The primary purpose of the SFCs is to convert the 50 Hz utility grid supply to the 60 Hz frequency required by the asset. The SFCs also generate reactive power by adjusting the phase angle between voltage and current, in the same way as conventional variable frequency drives. Additionally, the SFCs operate as ‘virtual generators’, whereby the converter emulates the behaviour of a rotary generator, allowing them to interact with the power system (voltage droop, synchronisation with other generators in the system, etc) in the same way as a synchronous machine, purely through software and advanced power electronics.

The use of SFCs delivers several benefits in addition to frequency conversion. It isolates the utility grid from the transients and lagging phase caused by the large induction motors which drive many oil and gas processes. The SFCs also allow the existing gas turbine generators to be maintained as standby units. They can be run up and synchronised with the SFCs, which mimic the behaviour of a rotating generator allowing for regular testing.

The downside of using SFCs is the loss of system efficiency inherent in the conversion process and the initial capital cost. In this case, however, the requirement to convert frequency from 50 Hz to 60 Hz made installing these devices necessary, so it is a moot point whether the additional benefits would have justified their installation.

Cleaning 
Sharjah’s desert environment leads to a build-up of dust on solar panels. SNOC’s smaller solar plants are cleaned manually twice a month; however, manual cleaning is impractical for the Sana facility, which has 98,397 panels. Instead, a fleet of solar-powered robotic cleaners is used. These robots charge during the day and then move across the panels at night, using a spinning brush to clean the surfaces.

Robotic solar panel cleaner 
Photo: SNOC

The case for integrating solar power into the UAE’s oil and gas facilities 
The UAE is renowned for its abundant year-round sunshine, receiving approximately 6.3 kWh/m²/d of solar radiation – one of the highest levels in the world. These exceptionally high solar radiation levels make PV solar power the most commercially attractive form of renewable energy for large-scale deployment in the country.

Like many oil and gas hubs around the world, the UAE’s sector has historically relied on open-cycle gas turbines for power generation and gas compression. Open cycle turbines are relatively inefficient. A typical open-cycle turbine used in oil and gas facilities operates with thermal efficiencies of 20–30%. In contrast, co-generation turbine plants (gas turbine combined with a secondary steam turbine), typically used by utility companies, achieve thermal efficiencies of 50–60%.

The significant difference in efficiency between open-cycle and closed-cycle gas turbines presents an opportunity: gas that is not burned in the open-cycle turbine can instead be supplied to the utility, which can produce approximately double the amount of electrical energy from it. This creates a strong financial incentive to transition power generation and gas compression systems from turbine-driven to electric motor-driven solutions. Electrification not only improves efficiency but also creates a ‘virtuous circle’ by creating on-site electrical demand which encourages further integration of solar power.

Another advantage lies in land availability. Onshore oil and gas facilities often include large areas of unused or restricted land – spaces that cannot be developed due to proximity to hazardous operations, contamination or security requirements. While unsuitable for residential or commercial use, these areas are ideal for solar installations, offering productive use for otherwise unusable land.

Conclusion 
SNOC has integrated solar power into oil and gas facilities by successfully implementing multiple projects, particularly the utility-scale Sana solar power plant. These projects have shown that solar energy can meet and even exceed the electrical needs of hydrocarbon processing complexes, thereby reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions (ie greenhouse gas emissions associated with hydrocarbon production). The seamless integration of solar power with existing infrastructure, along with the use of advanced technologies like static frequency converters, has proven that integrating on-site generation of solar energy into existing infrastructure can be a viable solution for energy-intensive industries like oil and gas.

• Further reading: ‘Shining a light on solar capacity factors’. By 2029 solar PV is on course to be the largest source of renewable generation worldwide. But that does not mean all solar panels are as effective in generating power as others. Claire Cortis, Digital Knowledge and Information Manager at the Energy Institute, compares solar capacity factors of the top 20 solar PV generating countries and looks at the technologies being developed that could improve them.
• Power grid connection is often one of the largest obstacles facing the green energy transition today. If we are to avoid grid congestion and gain the full potential of green energy, innovative approaches will be needed. One area of innovation will be the adoption of hybrid power plants, where presently most renewable energy resources operate in independent silos. Read more about key European and Asian initiatives.