This solar panel manufacturing startup got crowned Start-Up of the Year at the Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship

Solar One, the first solar panel manufacturing facility in the Kingdom of Bahrain, aims to increase its current production of 60,000 solar panels of different sizes, shapes and power capacities to 90,000 panels by next year. The solar panels can be installed anywhere including homes, offices, warehouses and even camping sites.

The company recently won the Start-up of the Year category during the third edition of the Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship held under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Chairman of the Economic Development Board.

“Solar One seeks to be the leader in renewable energy in the Kingdom by providing free and clean energy to all. The whole idea started upon my return to the Kingdom of Bahrain, after graduating from university in Toronto, Canada in 2014, I found that the cost of electricity in Bahrain is high, so I initially decided to import solar panels from abroad and sell them, but then the government’s support for the concept of renewable energy motivated me to set up a plant to produce these panels locally,” said the founder of Solar One, Mr. Faisal Khalifeh.

Tamkeen helped me buy a fully automatic production line as well as receiving a quality certificate from the German company TUV Rheinland, which in turn tested our solar panels in the laboratory to ensure that they meet certain international standards and also to the certainty that these panels will not adversely affect electrical power in the Kingdom of Bahrain,” he added.

“I also would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa for his keenness on creating a competitive environment to highlight the creative talents of the youth, and encourage them to do their best to promote the Bahraini economy and contribute to the Kingdom’s prosperity, which will undoubtedly help us greatly in increasing our production and developing our work, which will be reflected positively on us and the Kingdom of Bahrain as a whole,” he said.

“I encourage all young people to enter different types of sectors and fields and benefit from other countries’ experiences when trying to apply the global business within the Kingdom of Bahrain. Any person who wants to establish their own project must be fully convinced of the idea of their work and continue to fight for it no matter how difficult the circumstances are. Just two years ago, the concept of solar panels was not introduced in the Kingdom, but now it has become popular until it won one of the most prestigious awards in the world of entrepreneurship,” concluded Faisal.

Solar One is a Bahraini based company which manufactures its products following the highest international standards for quality. The company seeks to provide the ideal solution for individuals to meet the high energy prices and ways to combat global climate change, as well as continuing to support the Bahraini workforce by providing job opportunities for both genders equally. In addition to ensuring that the company’s vision is in line with Bahrain’s overall climate objectives.  

The Bahrain Award for Entrepreneurship, under the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Chairman of the Economic Development Board, aims to create an incubating environment that develops and encourages entrepreneurship in the Kingdom through improving the winners skills by providing them with continuous training sessions lead by successful entrepreneurs. The award gives the winners the resources and means of support that help them to succeed and develop their projects through meeting experts and witnessing their inspirational ideas. It also aims to celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and stimulate innovation across all business sectors to achieve economic development within the framework of the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030 to promote entrepreneurship.  

The prestigious award also aims to support the growth of this budding sector including the growth and development of SME’s as well as paving the way for a strong partnership between the public and private sectors. The selection criteria employed the highest standards and practices to ensure fair competition and equal opportunities among the participants across all stages of the award.

mmkeen is a semi-governmental organization in Bahrain, established in 2006 as part of the country’s national reform initiatives, and is committed itself in positioning the private sector as a key driver of the Kingdom’s economic vision by providing a full range of services to individuals and companies and raising the standard of living and creating jobs and investments in the Kingdom, as well as believing in the importance of creating an incubating environment that provides the necessary tools for the growth and prosperity of local enterprises. It  has launched over 200 programs and initiatives focused on areas such as funding and financing, skill and career progression, customized employment schemes, and entrepreneurship exposure, amongst many others. Tamkeen plays an impactful, distinct and critical role in the national economic development’s landscape, having served over 140,000 Bahrainis and businesses.

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