Solar power in Saudi Arabia

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Solar potential SolarGIS-Solar-map-Saudi-Arabia-en.png
Solar potential

Solar power in Saudi Arabia has become more important to the country as oil prices have risen. Saudi Arabia is located in the Arabian Peninsula, where it receives 12 hours of sun a day. [1] Saudi Arabia has the potential to supply its electrical needs solely with solar power. [2] As the largest oil producer and exporter in the world and one of the largest carbon dioxide producers Saudi Arabia would set an important precedent in renewable energy by shifting to solar power. [3] In 2021, 60.89% of energy consumed was produced by burning oil. [4] The Saudi agency in charge of developing the nations renewable energy sector, Ka-care, announced in May 2012 that the nation would install 41 gigawatts (GW) of solar capacity by 2032. [5] It was projected to be composed of 25 GW of solar thermal, and 16 GW of photovoltaics. At the time of this announcement, Saudi Arabia had only 0.003 gigawatts of installed solar energy capacity. [6] A total of 54 GW was expected by 2032, and 24 GW was expected in 2020, which was never reached. [7] 1,100  megawatts (MW) of photovoltaics and 900 megawatts of concentrated solar thermal (CSP) was expected to be completed by early 2013. [8] Also in 2013, solar power in Saudi Arabia had achieved grid parity and was able to produce electricity at costs comparable to conventional sources. [9]

Contents

In March 2018 Saudi Arabia announced that together with Softbank they plan to install 200 GW of solar power through 2030. [10] This compares to a global solar power installation of 100 GW in 2017 and a total installed capacity of 77 GW in Saudi Arabia in 2016. This project was cancelled in September 2018. [11]

The National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), backed by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), outlines plans for 11.8 GW of renewable energy projects in collaboration with ACWA Power by 2025, subject to approval from the Ministry of Energy. This initiative aligns with the goal of generating 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. [12]

Solar projects

History

A solar station in Khafji Solar station in Al Khafji.png
A solar station in Khafji

In 2011, The United States and Saudi Arabia jointly set up a solar-research station in Al-Uyaynah village. The village, located about 30 miles northwest of Riyadh, had no electric supply at the time. The station is operated by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. The agency established an experimental assembly line at the site to manufacture solar panels. The equipment on the assembly line was imported from Europe, and the solar cells are imported from Taiwan. The line's capacity was quadrupled within a year. [18]

Saudi Arabia's first solar power plant was commissioned on October 2, 2011, on Farasan Island. It is a 500  kW fixed tilt photovoltaic plant.

Given that the cost of solar projects decreased by roughly 90 percent in the 2010s, petrostates in the Middle East have raised their ambitions. Saudi Arabia had about 500 megawatts of renewable electricity capacity in 2020, but targets 60 gigawatts, most of which would come from solar photovoltaics and concentrated solar power, by 2030. [19] This has incentivized announcements for private sector solar projects which have a highly competitive bid price in terms of levelized cost of electricity. [20]

As its needs have increased, Saudi Arabia’s energy crisis has also risen in urgency. From 1975 to 2010, there was a nearly 45 GW increase in the country’s energy consumption. [21]   Nearing the end of 2012,  Saudi Arabia went beyond its designated power capacity by 1500 GW, and this was expected to grow to encompass nearly 13% of the world’s power needs. [2] As a large powerhouse for oil production, with nearly 11 million barrels of oil produced in 2015, Saudi Arabia’s shift towards solar energy is needed to keep up with their immense energy consumption. [2]

Saudi Arabia has been implementing solar energy projects since the early 1960s. In addition to its 3,281 MWh producing photovoltaic solar rooftop, Saudi Arabia created the world’s biggest solar parking lot, with a capacity of 4500 cars. [2] Furthermore, it houses the largest thermal plant that provides hot water for nearly 40,000 students at Princess Noura University for Women. [2]

As of 2023, Saudi Arabia is still trailing other wealthy countries in solar power capacity rankings, ranking 45 worldwide, despite being one of the top countries in solar potential. [22] Oil and gas still make up most of Saudi Arabia’s power mix, with 0.5% of the mix being solar power. [22]

Types of solar power

The main technologies Saudi Arabia employs are photovoltaic and concentrated solar power.

Of these two, photovoltaic (PV) systems are the most commonly applied throughout Saudi Arabia. They produce clean electricity by converting solar energy through semiconductor materials. [23] Between different PV systems, research shows that sun-tracking systems such as the 1-axis tracking system and the 2-axis tracking system produce the greatest amount of energy compared to fixed systems. They increased electricity production by 28–33%. [23] Sun tracking systems work by varying the angles of solar panels throughout the day based on the Sun's movement across the sky to ensure they are consistently capturing the most solar energy possible. [23] The 2-axis tracking system is slightly more efficient than the 1-axis, but the difference is considered negligible. [23]

Saudi Arabia has also explored concentrated solar power (CSP) due to its potential to store the thermal energy, which can then be accessed later when there is greater demand or shortage. [24] Among the CSP systems, the country is focusing on parabolic trough, solar tower, linear Fresnel, and parabolic dish. [24] All of these are considered viable options due to their high yield, retention capabilities, and most importantly, Saudi Arabia's Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI). [24] DNI is the measure of solar radiation per unit of land that is orthogonal (at right angles) to the direction of the sunlight. [25] Thus, the higher this value, the more effective the CSP system. However, the initial expenses of setting up a CSP system are very high, necessitating the use of hybridized systems including photovoltaic systems to mitigate the costs. [24]

Government policy

The Saudi government is pushing their renewable energy goals through solar developments and research, indicating their support for the cause. [26] However, they face obstacles from existing subsidy frameworks and a distorted energy market, which are deterring private investment. [26] Some have proposed that revised subsidies and implementing feed-in tariffs could create a favorable environment for nationwide solar energy adoption. [26] To execute these proposals, the Saudi government would have to establish strong political support and regulatory changes. [26]

Public response

Saudi Arabia's public interest in solar energy is similarly affected by social acceptance, finances, politics, and awareness. [27] A recent study shows that residential solar photovoltaic systems (RSPSs) are desirable among respondents of varying backgrounds. [27] However, 79.7% of those surveyed would consider solar only if 40% of the upfront costs were subsidized, and most would avoid adoption if their monthly electric bill increased by more than 10 SAR (about 2.5 USD). [27] Achieving widespread solar adoption and support in Saudi Arabia relies heavily on financial incentives and broader public approval. [27]

Future

Saudi Arabia is striving to transition its reliance on fossil fuels to renewable energy sources within the next two decades. [28] The government plans to produce 41 GW of solar energy by 2040 and invest $108.9 billion by 2032. [24] Part of this initiative is The Line, a proposed car-free, self-sustaining city in the Neom region powered entirely by renewable energy, with solar power as a primary source. [28] The Neom region was chosen for its solar energy levels of 20 megajoules per square meter and average wind speeds of 6.2 meters per second. [28] The government hopes The Line and other solar mega projects in development will redefine energy production and technology in Saudi Arabia. [24]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power by country</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in Australia</span>

Solar power is a major contributor to electricity supply in Australia. As of September 2024, Australia's over 3.92 million solar PV installations had a combined capacity of 37.8 GW photovoltaic (PV) solar power. In 2019, 59 solar PV projects with a combined capacity of 2,881 MW were either under construction, constructed or due to start construction having reached financial closure. Solar accounted for 12.4% of Australia's total electrical energy production in 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in Spain</span>

Spain is one of the first countries to deploy large-scale solar photovoltaics, and is the world leader in concentrated solar power (CSP) production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in Germany</span>

Solar power accounted for an estimated 12.2% of electricity production in Germany in 2023, up from 1.9% in 2010 and less than 0.1% in 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power</span> Conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity

Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power. Solar panels use the photovoltaic effect to convert light into an electric current. Concentrated solar power systems use lenses or mirrors and solar tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight to a hot spot, often to drive a steam turbine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in the European Union</span>

Solar power consists of photovoltaics (PV) and solar thermal energy in the European Union (EU).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in China</span>

China is the largest market in the world for both photovoltaics and solar thermal energy. China's photovoltaic industry began by making panels for satellites, and transitioned to the manufacture of domestic panels in the late 1990s. After substantial government incentives were introduced in 2011, China's solar power market grew dramatically: the country became the world's leading installer of photovoltaics in 2013. China surpassed Germany as the world's largest producer of photovoltaic energy in 2015, and became the first country to have over 100 GW of total installed photovoltaic capacity in 2017. As of at least 2024, Chinese firms are the industry leaders in almost all of the key parts of the solar industry supply chain, including polysilicon, silicon wafers, batteries, and photovoltaic modules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in the United States</span>

Solar power includes solar farms as well as local distributed generation, mostly on rooftops and increasingly from community solar arrays. In 2023, utility-scale solar power generated 164.5 terawatt-hours (TWh), or 3.9% of electricity in the United States. Total solar generation that year, including estimated small-scale photovoltaic generation, was 238 TWh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concentrated solar power</span> Use of mirror or lens assemblies to heat a working fluid for electricity generation

Concentrated solar power systems generate solar power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight into a receiver. Electricity is generated when the concentrated light is converted to heat, which drives a heat engine connected to an electrical power generator or powers a thermochemical reaction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Saudi Arabia</span>

EnergyinSaudi Arabia involves petroleum and natural gas production, consumption, and exports, and electricity production. Saudi Arabia is the world's leading oil producer and exporter. Saudi Arabia's economy is petroleum-based; oil accounts for 90% of the country's exports and nearly 75% of government revenue. The oil industry produces about 45% of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product, against 40% from the private sector. Saudi Arabia has per capita GDP of $20,700. The economy is still very dependent on oil despite diversification, in particular in the petrochemical sector.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Growth of photovoltaics</span> Worldwide growth of photovoltaics

Between 1992 and 2023, the worldwide usage of photovoltaics (PV) increased exponentially. During this period, it evolved from a niche market of small-scale applications to a mainstream electricity source. From 2016-2022 it has seen an annual capacity and production growth rate of around 26%- doubling approximately every three years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in Austria</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Energy in South Africa</span>

South Africa has a large energy sector, being the third-largest economy in Africa. The country consumed 227 TWh of electricity in 2018. The vast majority of South Africa's electricity was produced from coal, with the fuel responsible for 88% of production in 2017. South Africa is the 7th largest coal producer in the world. As of July 2018, South Africa had a coal power generation capacity of 39 gigawatts (GW). South Africa is the world's 14th largest emitter of greenhouse gases. South Africa is planning to shift away from coal in the electricity sector and the country produces the most solar and wind energy by terawatt-hours in Africa. The country aims to decommission 34 GW of coal-fired power capacity by 2050. It also aims to build at least 20 GW of renewable power generation capacity by 2030. South Africa aims to generate 77,834 megawatts (MW) of electricity by 2030, with new capacity coming significantly from renewable sources to meet emission reduction targets. Through its goals stated in the Integrated Resource Plan, it announced the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which aims to increase renewable power generation through private sector investment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in Italy</span>

Solar power is an important contributor to electricity generation in Italy, accounting for 11.8% of total generation in 2023, up from 0.6% in 2010 and less than 0.1% in 2000.

Solar power in France including overseas territories reached an installed capacity figure of 11.2 GW in 2020, and rose further to 17.1 GW at the end of 2022. Government plans announced in 2022 foresee solar PV capacity in France rising to 100 GW by 2050.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in South Africa</span> Overview of the use of solar power in South Africa

Solar power in South Africa includes photovoltaics (PV) as well as concentrated solar power (CSP). As of July 2024, South Africa had 2,287 MW of installed utility-scale PV solar power capacity in its grid, in addition to 5,791 MW of rooftop solar and 500 MW of CSP. Installed capacity is expected to reach 8,400 MW by 2030.

Solar power in Chile is an increasingly important source of energy. Total installed photovoltaic (PV) capacity in Chile reached 8.36 GW in 2023. Solar energy provided 19.9% of national electricity generation in Chile in 2023, compared to less than 0.1% in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ACWA Power</span> International developer and operator of power generation and desalinated water production plants

ACWA Power is a developer, investor, co-owner and operator of a portfolio of power generation and desalinated water production plants with a presence in 13 countries across the Middle East, Africa, and central and southeast Asia. ACWA Power's portfolio of projects in operation and development has an investment value of USD 85.7 billion, and a capacity of 55.1 GW of power and 8 million m3/day of desalinated water.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Solar power in the United Arab Emirates</span>

While being a major oil producing country, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has taken steps to introduce solar power on a large scale. However, solar power still accounts for a small share of energy production in the country. The country was the 6th top carbon dioxide emitter per capita in the world in 2009, with 40.31 tonnes, but is planning to generate half of its electrical energy by 2050 from solar and nuclear sources, targeting 44% renewables, 38% gas, 12% coal, and 6% nuclear energy sources.

The Sudair PV IPP is a solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant located in Sudair Industrial City, Saudi Arabia.

References

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  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Pazheri, Faisal Rahiman (September 2014). "Solar Power Potential In Saudi Arabia". International Journal of Engineering Research and Applications. 4 (9) – via Research Gate.
  3. ↑ Rashwan, Sherif S.; Shaaban, Ahmed M.; Al-Suliman, Fahad (2017-12-01). "A comparative study of a small-scale solar PV power plant in Saudi Arabia". Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 80: 313–318. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2017.05.233. ISSN   1364-0321.
  4. ↑ Share of energy consumption by source, Saudi Arabia
  5. ↑ Louis Boisgibault, Fahad Al Kabbani (2020): Energy Transition in Metropolises, Rural Areas and Deserts. Wiley - ISTE. (Energy series) ISBN   9781786304995.
  6. ↑ Wael Mahdi and Marc Roca. "Saudi Arabia Plans $109 Billion Boost for Solar Power." Bloomberg News. May 11, 2012 9:23 AM CT
  7. ↑ Solar power export to Europe planned by KSA
  8. ↑ Saudi Arabia Plan $109 Billion Solar Energy Project to Reduce Oil Consumption
  9. ↑ Michael Deaves (February 27, 2013). "Solar Achieves Grid Parity in Saudi Arabia – Significant Developments Expected". ClearSky Advisors. Retrieved 2018-05-08.
  10. ↑ Saudis, SoftBank Plan World's Largest Solar Project Bloomberg, 2018-03-28
  11. ↑ Jones, Rory; Said, Summer (2018-09-30). "Saudi Arabia Shelves Work on SoftBank's $200 Billion Solar Project". Wall Street Journal. ISSN   0099-9660 . Retrieved 2018-10-05.
  12. ↑ "Saudi National Renewable Energy Program (NREP) – Policies". IEA. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  13. 1 2 3 "Sakaka Photovoltaic Solar Project". Power Technology. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
  14. ↑ Salam, Mohammad Asif; Khan, Sami A. (2018). "Transition towards sustainable energy production – A review of the progress for solar energy in Saudi Arabia". Energy Exploration & Exploitation. 36 (1): 3–27. ISSN   0144-5987.
  15. 1 2 3 Ola, Danielle (2016-05-04). "Conergy expanding its presence in the Middle East and North Africa". PV Tech. Retrieved 2024-11-15.
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  17. ↑ Garcia, Lucia (2023-02-17). "Saudi Arabia launches world's largest solar-power plant". Economist Intelligence Unit. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
  18. ↑ Ball, Jeffrey. "Why the Saudis Are Going Solar". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2017-03-24.
  19. ↑ "Mideast Petro-States look past oil rout to chase solar power". Gulf Business. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  20. ↑ "Firms prepare final Saudi solar offers". Power Technology. Retrieved 2020-05-12.
  21. ↑ Alqahtani, Nasser; Balta-Ozkan, Nazmiye (January 2021). "Assessment of Rooftop Solar Power Generation to Meet Residential Loads in the City of Neom, Saudi Arabia". Energies. 14 (13): 3805. doi: 10.3390/en14133805 . ISSN   1996-1073.
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  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ghaithan, Ahmed; Hadidi, Laith; Mohammed, Awsan (2024-01-01). "Techno-economic assessment of concentrated solar power generation in Saudi Arabia". Renewable Energy. 220: 119623. doi:10.1016/j.renene.2023.119623. ISSN   0960-1481.
  25. ↑ Blanc, P.; Espinar, B.; Geuder, N.; Gueymard, C.; Meyer, R.; Pitz-Paal, R.; Reinhardt, B.; Renné, D.; Sengupta, M.; Wald, L.; Wilbert, S. (2014-12-01). "Direct normal irradiance related definitions and applications: The circumsolar issue". Solar Energy. 110: 561–577. doi:10.1016/j.solener.2014.10.001. ISSN   0038-092X.
  26. 1 2 3 4 Chite, Philippe; Ahmad, Ali (February 2017). "Solar Power in Saudi Arabia: Plans vs Potential" (PDF). AUB Policy Institute. Retrieved November 13, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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  28. 1 2 3 "Renewable Energy Mix of Futuristic NEOM City". IEEE.
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