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New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Using solar power for oil and gas – a case study
2/9/2025
10 min read
Feature
In June 2025, the Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC), in collaboration with Emerge – a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Renewables – commissioned the 60 MW Sana solar power plant, the first utility-scale solar facility in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located within the boundaries of SNOC’s main Al Sajaa hydrocarbon processing complex, the Sana solar plant generates more electricity annually than the complex consumes, with the surplus supplied to the local utility. This case study, written by Project Engineer Fatima Al Hammadi, Electrical and Instrumentation Team Leader Feras Farooque, Electrical Engineer Asma Mohamed and Maintenance Manager Steve Young, chronicles the journey and technical solutions that led to the successful implementation of this landmark project.
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.