Saudi Arabia has huge potential in solar energy sector, says report

Saudi Arabia’s primary energy consumption per capita is four times higher than that of the world average, which marks huge potential for domestic demand in solar energy deployment, noted a report by the UAE-based investment firm Allied Investments Partners.

Moreover, the large sand deposits can be utilized in the manufacturing of silicon photovoltaic (PV) cells for the PV and concentrated solar power (CSP) power generation, the report added.

Also read: Saudi to generate 60GW renewable energy by 2030: official

The report said Saudi Arabia is steadily showcasing its potential in the renewable energy front, largely focusing on the solar energy. The Kingdom’s topography makes it one of the key markets in the GCC region in terms of solar energy deployment as it is located near the Sun belt, the report by Allied Investments Partners added.

In Saudi Arabia, the solar PV technology is the most prevalent due to the un-diffused sunlight the country enjoys coupled with having one of the highest solar irradiation in the world which is estimated at nearly 2,200 kilowatt per hour per square meter (KWh/m2).

The report noted that in Saudi Arabia, the electricity capacity from solar PV technology increased at a CAGR of 41.1 percent since 2013, reaching an aggregate capacity of 89.3 megawatt (MW) in 2017, while the electricity generation using solar PV technology reached 129.2 Gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2016, witnessing a CAGR of 53 percent since 2012.

Growing stakeholder experience, the development of enabling frameworks and increasing cost competitiveness of solar PV are encouraging the implementation of larger projects, the report noted, adding that currently, Saudi Arabia has a single large solar plant, the 300 MW Sakaka project which is still under construction.