Saudi PV solar cells project 'under review': report

The photovoltaic (PV) solar cells project in Saudi Arabia is currently under review, Naif Al-Ebady, undersecretary for electricity at the Ministry of Energy, told Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper, adding that the launch date will be unveiled soon.

"The Saudi Electricity & Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (ECRA) seeks to cut power consumption across the Kingdom; if PV solar cells service is proved feasible, it will be our first option," said Abdullah Al-Shehri, ECRA governor on the sidelines of the 8th Saudi Arabia Smart Grid 2018 Conference.

The ministry has also installed smart meters in more than nine million homes, he said, adding that the installation of the smart prepaid electric cards need about two to three years.

In September 2017, Saudi Electricity Co. (SEC) started receiving online requests for PV solar cells service to regulate the number of subscribers, and to be able to study demand for the service and its impact on the national grid.

The initiative falls under SEC’s plans to expand use of renewable energy to support national economy and help reduce the Kingdom’s oil dependency in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

The Kingdom's local consumption is expected to triple by 2030, as it seeks to add 9.5 GW of renewable energy by 2023.