Holland Gulf Chamber of Commerce » technologie

GCC booming market for solar power

jochemgeheniau — Wed, 04 Sep 2013 07:49:06 +0000

Dubai: The six GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries have sanctioned $155 billion (Dh596 billion) worth of solar power projects that will generate 84 gigawatts when completed in 2017, according to the region’s first dedicated solar technology exhibition Gulf Sol 2013.

Derek Burston, Director of UK-based Bowmedia, organisers of Gulf Sol 2013, said in a statement the GCC countries had demonstrated their keenness to shift towards low-cost solar energy.

A reduction in costs of solar technologies coupled with rising electricity demand could make the region a hub for solar expansion, he added.

Marc Norman, Director of Emirates Solar Industries Association, said the high cost of petrol was making the switch to solar energy increasingly attractive.
Concentrated solar power (CSP) can be used in the oil extraction process by producing and pumping steam into oil reserves.

Norman said that the region would become an attractive market for Chinese companies that are stuck in regulation and trade battles in the US and EU.
However, stability in the region remains an issue for the solar industry.

Farhad Ghafourian, of UAE Container Glass Association, said the raw sand materials used to produce solar photovoltaic (pv) glass are sourced from Egypt.

The Gulf Sol 2013 and Gulf Glass 2013 exhibitions will be held at Dubai World Trade Centre from September 3 to 5.

By Alexander Cornwell Staff Reporter

Saudi e-commerce valued at SR15bn annually

jochemgeheniau — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 08:23:39 +0000

Economists confirm that e-commerce in Saudi Arabia is experiencing a high growth, estimating its value at SR15 billion per year. The size of the market is expected to increase at high rates in the coming years due to the eradication of trading obstacles, creating an ideal solution for buying low priced items and with minimal effort.
The Kingdom is progressing the fastest among all the Arab countries in the field of e-commerce as witnessed by the significant expansion in this area during the past two years, according to sources. The progress is due to the support of development in communications technology, and has allowed the acquiring of various goods at lower prices compared to what exists in the market.
However, a number of risks and challenges are associated with shopping online, namely the possibility of the leakage credit card information abroad, the incompatibility of expectations and the product received, and the new nature of this type of shopping. Also, some challenges emerge as a large number of shoppers, especially women and girls, must adjust their desire to preview the goods themselves before purchasing them. The high price of Internet connections in the Kingdom, as compared to the other developed countries, is also a problem.
Fadl bin Saad Al-Buainain, an economic expert, estimated the volume of e-Commerce trade in Saudi Arabia to be more than SR15 billion annually, adding that the Kingdom is advancing with all Arab countries in this area, and ranks first among Arab countries in terms of e-procurement practices.
Albuainain indicated that e-commerce in Saudi Arabia has witnessed significant growth over the past two years as a result of support in the development of technology and of direct communications with global retailers. Such expansions, he confirmed, will allow for the purchase of international brands, mostly apparel and electronic devices. Price is the main factor and that is motivating citizens toward e-procurement instead of buying locally.
Regarding the risks associated with shopping online, these risks are reduced when dealing with the known international companies, he said.
Abdul Rahman Al-Soniaa said that online shopping during Eid Al-Fitr saw an increase in sales volume exceeding SR300 million. According to Al-Soniaa, e-Commerce faces three hurdles — the novelty of this type of trade and the difficultly in building the trust of the shopper in a short period of time, the fear and apprehension toward e-procurement, especially with regard to credit card usage, and the adjustment from being able to preview goods in person prior to purchase.
The goods offered online do not compete with local markets in terms of the number of options offered, whether clothes, shoes, perfume or other goods, he added.
As an expert in the field of e-commerce, Mohammed Al-Sheheri, stated that the reasons behind delaying the growth of e-Commerce in Saudi Arabia is the higher prices of Internet connections, which are still too high and expensive compared to prices in developed countries.
“The cost of providing fiber optic service to homes in the Kingdom is double the cost in a country like the United States of America,” he said, adding that Internet prices in Saudi Arabia should decrease at a very fast rate. He also stressed the importance of issuing laws and regulations to protect both the seller and customers on the Internet, which could resemble similar laws in other countries with slight modifications to fit the Saudi market.

Saudi MoH seeks private sector cooperation in dialysis service

jochemgeheniau — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 07:57:31 +0000

The Ministry of Health is to seek private sector’s cooperation in serving the increasing number of dialysis patients in the Kingdom.
According to Aqeel Al-Ghamdi, undersecretary to the Ministry for Hospital Affairs, the ministry has allocated SR1.9 billion for this national project, which is geared to solicit private sector cooperation in purchasing equipment and offering state-of-the art services to dialysis patients.
“We hope to benefit from the experience of foreign specialists who are in active contact with renal patients to provide them with the best services,” he said.
He added that the Ministry of Health formed a central committee with various subcommittees in health care to monitor the project and coordinate with the parent body.
The ministry, he said, would release a manual detailing the salient features of the project and that the private sector could respond to the project by expressing its willingness to participate.
“We want to use the best technology for the benefit of our patients and we would make dialysis services conform with the standards maintained in Europe and America.”
He said the project will be implemented in three phases. The first phase would cover a period of 24 months, which would embrace major cities and densely populated towns in the Kingdom. The second stage would be for a period of 12 months to cover small cities and the final stage will last for six months and include uncovered areas.
There are some 142 dialysis centers in the Kingdom, which includes 30 centers in Riyadh, 15 in Asir, 13 in Al-Qassim, 11 in Madinah and nine centers in the Eastern Province. Areas such as Tabuk, Hail and Jazan have seven centers each.
Hemodialysis patients totaled 9,892 and the number of patients with peritoneal dialysis has reached 471 patients.