Rory McCarthy

ABU DHABI, UAE, 24 February 2020: Renewable energy will continue to make progress in the coming years, said Rory McCarthy, Chief Commercial Officer, Yellow Door Energy. McCarthy added that the company will continue to focus on existing markets in the UAE and Jordan, while also expanding to Pakistan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and other GCC region countries. “These countries have set renewable energy targets, and we want to support them in their ambition,” he said in an exclusive interview to Climate Control Middle East. Following increased focus in the other GCC region countries, Yellow Door Energy has issued an announcement that the company has signed two agreements with Arab Petroleum Investments Corporation (APICORP), a multilateral development financial institution, to install solar panels at APICORP’s headquarters in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, and retrofit the building with energy-efficient technologies.

According to a press release, the agreements mark Yellow Door Energy’s first project in Saudi Arabia. Expected to be completed by end of 2020, the release said, the new fittings will cut APICORP’s carbon emissions by 2,000 tonnes and generate up to 718 MWh of clean energy, as well as significantly reduce energy consumption by 35%. The solutions at APICORP headquarters include retrofitting and optimising the air conditioning and chiller systems as well as installing over 3,500 LED light bulbs with smart control, the release said. Yellow Door Energy will also install a rooftop solar plant that spans 4,300 square metres, fitted with a customised mounting structure to accommodate the roof’s unique wave design, the release said.

McCarthy said that YDE believes the retrofit market is gaining momentum in the UAE and the wider GCC region. “The driving force is mainly rising costs and the need for more efficient resource allocation” he said. “A retrofitted building reduces energy consumption, lowers energy costs and can even enhance the air quality of the building, thanks to equipment upgrades.” As such, McCarthy said, the company is investing in solar and energy efficiency solutions, as well as storage/hybrid solutions in a bid to provide holistic sustainable energy solutions for leading businesses in the region.