Saudi Arabia turns to renewable energy

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has turned to another reliable, cheaper source of energy, and this trend can very well support growth in the production of polymer-based solar photovoltaic cells. The Kingdom has plans to establish a solar energy industry by 2032 as solutions to the growing consumption of fossil fuels which could triple by 2030.  The plans would require investments of about $109 billion on solar energy as the target is to obtain one-third of its power from the sun by 2032.  

Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy strategy is undertaken by King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE). Target is for renewable energy to raise its share in the energy mix with solar energy contributing 41GW of this. The programme will also set up a world-class alternative energy centre which would be very much involved in cooperative research and development efforts and joint ventures, as well as encourage international cooperation and attract investments into solar energy generation.  

Building the world’s largest solar plant

The ambitious project of building the world’s largest solar plant in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is nearing realisation with two Austrian companies undertaking this project to power an educational campus in Riyadh. GREENoneTEC said it manufactured solar panels worth €3.6 million ($4.3 million) which cover a total area of 36,000 sq.m. The company’s CEO, Robert Kanduth, said that the panels conform with advanced system that the panels can withstand sandstorms and other extreme weather conditions. 

The solar panel complex is reported to be twice the size of the former world’s largest plant which is located in Denmark. The project will provide energy to Princess Nura bint Abdulrahman Campus in Riyadh, which houses about 40,000 students and teachers.

GREENoneTEC manufactures high-quality solar thermal collectors and related mounting systems and serves more than 40 countries worldwide. The company has a European market share of around 25%.

PV manufacturer SunEdison is building a US$6.4 billion manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia to ensure supply to the Middle East market.  Another company, Mainstream Renewable Power, is active in Jordan but considers Saudi Arabia an important market. 

Phoenix Solar Oman and Phoenix Solar Singapore, together with local project partner Hi-Technology & Contracting Company Ltd are jointly responsible for the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the 1.8 MWp solar power plant. Upon completion the plant will cover around 2.6 hectares of desert land, and feed over 2’900 megawatt-hours a year directly into KAPSARC’s medium voltage grid.

Demand for solar PV panels is on the rise

The King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) II project is contracted by Saudi Aramco, to extend the existing solar plant from 3.5 MWp to 5.3 MWp - also built by Phoenix Solar, making it the largest ground mounted system in the Kingdom. The project supports KAPSARC’s objective to achieve LEED Platinum Certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).  

What’s next

Saudi Arabia joins other countries in MENA in infusing resources to up solar energy generation.  MENA countries will spend billions of dollars over the next decade to modernise their electric grids and add solar generation resources. This spending will include $9.8 billion cumulatively for smart grid infrastructure by 2024. Smart grid will enable the incorporation of $27.9 billion in new solar resources. MENA countries can save between $1 billion to $3.5 billion per year by redirecting domestic energy consumption towards exports, according to a new study by Northeast Group, LLC.

The first is the installation of over 26 GW of solar capacity by 2024, led by Saudi Arabia. This will allow them to reduce their reliance on oil and gas power generation. The second approach is to deploy smart grid infrastructure that will help incorporate this solar power, enable better electricity demand management and improve reliability, the report said.   NIKE