LOC19:53
16:53 GMT
KUWAIT, Nov 13 (KUNA) -- The Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) will offer 120 new gas stations for bidders in less than seven years to come, said Deputy CEO for Mina Abdullah Refinery, Ahmad Saleh Al-Jemaz.
Nineteen stations have already been offered and 15 others will soon follow, Al-Jemaz told reporters on the sidelines of launching the smart control system for the new filling station in Riqqa area, operated by solar power.
It is the first time this smart control system is applied in Kuwait, in cooperation with South Korean companies, he said.
The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has allocated KD 1.5 million for solar power applications in its affiliated companies, of which the KNPC is one.
These initiatives and projects are part of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah's vision for securing 15 percent of Kuwait's energy consumption from renewable energy sources by 2030.
The KNPC had started the renewable energy applications with the opening of Al-Zahraa gas station almost a year ago, Al-Jemaz noted.
If the new smart control system proves further success, it will be gradually applied in all stations, he said, adding that the newly-opened one enjoys self-sufficiency of power during the midday. It is planned that it would be around the clock. (end)
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