New Myanmar solar project to be biggest in Southeast Asia

Black & Veatch will start developing a 250 megawatt solar project in Myanmar next year that will be the biggest in Southeast Asia, according to an announcement on Wednesday.

The US engineering firm was awarded a series of contracts that will see them work alongside Thailand’s Green Earth Power on the largest solar plant in the region.

Currently over 75 per cent of Myanmar’s population does not have access to electricity and Ric O’Connell, international renewable energy director at Black & Veatch, said: “Electricity is an urgent priority in Myanmar and has serious implications on economic and social progress.”

“As solar facilities can be built rapidly, it is an excellent alternative to quickly add power to the grid and ensure meaningful impacts on quality of life,” O’Connell added.

Asian countries are increasingly turning to renewable energy sources.

According to a World Bank report, consumption of renewables in Asia grew by 8 per cent between 2010 and 2012.

This is double the 4 per cent global growth in renewables seen over the same time period.