Renewable energy in Saudi Arabia

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A solar station in Khafji

Renewable energy in Saudi Arabia is a growing sector and a key pillar of the country's economic diversification strategy under the Saudi Vision 2030.[1] Historically reliant on fossil fuels, Saudi Arabia is leveraging its abundant solar and wind resources to transition towards a more sustainable energy mix, aiming to generate 50% of its electricity from renewables by 2030.[1][2] As of 2023, Saudi Arabia's renewable energy production capacity had more than tripled to over 2.2 GW from 700 MW the previous year, with over 21 GW of projects under development.[3][2]

Solar energy

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Main article: Solar power in Saudi Arabia
The average daily and annual direct insolation across Saudi Arabia from 1999-2018, using a color scale to indicate solar intensity in kilowatt-hours per square meter, with the highest values in the western and northern regions where conditions are most favorable for CSP and CPV systems.

Several large-scale solar projects are operational or under development:

  • Sakaka Solar Power Plant: Inaugurated in 2021 in the Al Jouf, Sakaka is the first utility-scale solar project under the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP).[4] It has a capacity of 300 MW and features over 1.2 million solar panels. The project set a record for the lowest levelized cost of energy at $0.023 per kWh.[5]
  • Sudair Solar PV Project: Set to be one of the largest single-contracted solar plants globally, with a capacity of 1.5 GW. This project is part of the Public Investment Fund's renewable energy program.
  • Al Henakiyah Solar Plant: Located in the Al Madinah province, this 1,100 MW project is expected to be one of the world's largest solar installations. A consortium including EDF Renewables, Masdar, and Nesma Company will develop and operate the plant, which is slated for grid connection by 2025.[6][7]
  • Shuaiba Solar PV Project: This project will have a final capacity of 2,600 MW.[8][9]
  • South Jeddah Noor (Jeddah Solar PV Project): A 300 MW utility-scale solar plant developed by a consortium of EDF Renewables, Masdar, and Nesma Company.
  • AMAALA Project: This luxury tourism destination on the Red Sea coast will be powered entirely by solar energy. The off-grid, zero-carbon system will include a 700 MWh battery storage system and a desalination plant, delivering 410,000 MWh of energy annually.[10]

In 2025, ACWA Power, Badeel, and SAPCO signed PPAs for five new large-scale solar projects with a combined capacity of 12,000 MW, located in the provinces of Asir, Madinah, Makkah, and Riyadh:[11][12]

  • Bisha - 3,000 MW
  • Al-Humaij - 3,000 MW
  • Khulais - 2,000 MW
  • Afif 1 - 2,000 MW
  • Afif 2 - 2,000 MW

Wind energy

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Saudi Arabia possesses wind energy potential, with average wind speeds of 6–8 m/s in many areas. The northeastern, central, and western mountainous regions are particularly suitable for wind farm development.

Key wind power projects include:

  • Dumat Al Jandal Wind Farm: The Kingdom's first utility-scale wind farm and the largest in the Middle East, with a capacity of 400 MW.[13] Located in the Al Jouf, it consists of 99 wind turbines and can power up to 70,000 homes.[14] The project achieved a world-record low cost for electricity from wind energy.[15]
  • Yanbu, Al-Ghat, and Waad Al Shamal Wind Farms
  • Starah and Shaqra Wind Projects: As part of the 2025 agreements, these two projects in the Riyadh province will have a combined capacity of 3,000 MW.[12]

Green Hydrogen

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Significant investments have been made in green hydrogen production. The NEOM Green Hydrogen Project is a joint venture that aims to create the world's largest green hydrogen facility, utilizing 4 GW of solar and wind power to produce 600 tonnes of clean hydrogen daily by 2026.[16][17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Ellaboudy, Abeer Abdulkareem and Amgad (2025-02-01). "Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030's Renewable Energy Project Initiatives". Climate Scorecard. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  2. ^ a b "KAPSARC". apps.kapsarc.org. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  3. ^ "Saudi Arabia targets 130 GW of renewables by 2030: Minister". ArgaamPlus. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  4. ^ "Renewable Energy Projects in Saudi Arabia". Saudipedia. 2025-02-27. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  5. ^ "Sakaka Solar Power Plant". Saudi Vision 2030. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  6. ^ kgi-admin (2023-04-29). "Power plant profile: Al Henakiyah Solar Power Project, Saudi Arabia". Power Technology. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  7. ^ "SPPC signs 2 agreements to purchase 1,500 MW solar power". ArgaamPlus. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  8. ^ "ACWA Power launches commercial ops at Al Shuaibah 1 solar PV plant". ArgaamPlus. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  9. ^ "Shuaibah Solar Power Plant Project Offers Great Present, Promising Future". spa.gov.sa. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  10. ^ "Masdar | AMAALA". masdar.ae. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  11. ^ Reporter, Staff (2025-07-15). "ACWA Power and partners to develop $8.3b renewable energy projects in Saudi Arabia | Asian Power". asian-power.com. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  12. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia signs $8.3B renewable energy deals to add 15 GW in solar and wind capacity". Saudigazette. 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  13. ^ "Dumat Aljandal Wind Power Plant".
  14. ^ "Saudi Arabia awards first $500 mln wind power project deal". ArgaamPlus. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  15. ^ "Dumat Aljandal". Saudi Vision 2030. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  16. ^ "Renewable Energy Projects in Saudi Arabia". SCAVO. Retrieved 2025-11-17.
  17. ^ profile (2025-08-14). "Top Renewable Energy Projects in Saudi Arabia". www.nesfircroft.com. Retrieved 2025-11-17.