Saudi Arabia Solar Energy Market: Vision 2030 Targets & Utility-Scale Project Growth

According to IMARC Group's latest research publication, Saudi Arabia solar energy market size reached USD 8.3 Billion in 2025. The market is projected to reach USD 145.4 Billion by 2034, exhibiting a growth rate of 37.39% during 2026-2034.

How AI is Reshaping the Future of Saudi Arabia Solar Energy Market

• Smart Grid Management and Forecasting: AI-driven energy management systems are helping utilities predict solar generation patterns with high accuracy, reducing grid fluctuations and boosting efficiency by up to 30% across installations nationwide.
• Predictive Maintenance for Solar Assets: Machine learning algorithms analyze performance data from solar panels in real time, identifying potential failures before they occur and cutting unplanned downtime by significant margins in large-scale projects.
• Optimized Panel Placement and Tracking: AI technologies support solar tracker design and positioning decisions, maximizing sun exposure throughout the day and improving energy capture efficiency in desert environments with extreme heat conditions.
• Battery Storage Optimization: Advanced analytics optimize how stored solar energy is dispatched, ensuring power availability during peak demand periods and at night, which directly supports grid stability across the Kingdom's expanding renewable infrastructure.
• Cost Reduction through AI-Powered Design: Artificial intelligence helps engineers design more cost-effective solar farms by simulating thousands of layout configurations, reducing material waste and lowering overall project costs for developers and investors.

How Vision 2030 is Revolutionizing Saudi Arabia Solar Energy Industry

Vision 2030 is fundamentally reshaping Saudi Arabia's solar landscape by targeting 50% renewable electricity generation through massive investments and policy reforms. The government has already connected over 10 gigawatts of renewable capacity to the grid, with another 33 gigawatts in development—a pace described by UN officials as faster than any country in history. Major initiatives like NEOM's $8.4 billion green hydrogen facility powered by solar and wind, the 2.6 gigawatt Al Shuaibah solar plant, and the Liquid Displacement Program are replacing heavy fuel oil with cleaner electricity. The Public Investment Fund is driving 70% of national renewable targets while partnering with Chinese manufacturers to establish 30 gigawatts of local solar panel production capacity, creating jobs and securing supply chains. Strategic incentives including power purchase agreements, streamlined licensing, and financial subsidies are attracting billions in foreign investment from firms like ACWA Power, Masdar, and EDF Renewables, positioning the Kingdom as a global renewable energy leader.

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Saudi Arabia Solar Energy Market Trends & Drivers:

The Saudi solar market is experiencing explosive growth driven by record infrastructure spending and the National Renewable Energy Program's ambitious rollout schedule. In a single phase during 2025, developers signed power purchase agreements worth $8.3 billion covering 15 gigawatts of new solar capacity—the largest globally signed for renewable projects at once. Government targets call for adding 20 gigawatts of renewables annually to hit 130 gigawatts total by 2030, with 58.7 gigawatts expected from solar alone. This surge is backed by falling technology costs—solar electricity now costs around one cent per kilowatt-hour at projects like Al Shuaibah—making renewables financially viable without subsidies. Major consortiums led by ACWA Power, alongside Saudi Aramco and Badeel, are developing utility-scale projects ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 megawatts across regions including Riyadh, Makkah, and Madinah, with commercial operations starting in 2026-2028.

Energy security concerns are accelerating the transition as Saudi Arabia redirects domestic oil and gas consumption toward higher-value exports while meeting electricity demand growing at 10% annually. The Kingdom lost $11 billion on energy generation in recent years, prompting the shift to cost-effective solar power. Advanced battery energy storage systems totaling 8 gigawatt-hours are already operational, with targets to reach 48 gigawatt-hours by 2030, ensuring reliable power delivery when the sun isn't shining. Strategic partnerships with international technology providers are bringing AI-driven solar tracking, bifacial panel technology, and smart grid solutions to massive desert installations. Projects like the 1,425 megawatt Al Kahfah plant and 2,000 megawatt Ar Rass 2 facility demonstrate the scale of deployment, each capable of powering hundreds of thousands of homes.

Localization initiatives under Vision 2030 are creating a domestic solar manufacturing ecosystem, with investments in panel production, inverter assembly, and component fabrication reducing import dependence and project costs. The government's Renewable Energy Localization subsidiary signed agreements in 2024 to domestically manufacture solar and wind equipment, strengthening supply chains. Environmental commitments under the Saudi Green Initiative and Net Zero 2060 goals are pushing carbon reduction targets of 278 million tonnes annually, with solar playing a central role. Emerging applications include powering industrial zones, desalination plants, and even positioning Saudi Arabia as a hub for AI data centers leveraging ultra-cheap solar electricity. The combination of abundant sunshine, falling technology costs, supportive policies, and massive capital availability is transforming the Kingdom into one of the world's fastest-growing solar markets.

Saudi Arabia Solar Energy Market Industry Segmentation:

The report has segmented the market into the following categories:

Type Insights:

• Solar Photovoltaic (PV)
• Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)

Region Insights:

• Northern and Central Region
• Western Region
• Eastern Region
• Southern Region

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape of the industry has also been examined along with the profiles of the key players.

• ACWA Power Company
• Alfanar Group
• EDF Renewables
• ENGIE Solutions
• Masdar (Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company)
• Saudi Electricity Company

Recent News and Developments in Saudi Arabia Solar Energy Market

• July 2025: ACWA Power, Badeel, and Saudi Aramco Power signed $8.3 billion worth of power purchase agreements for seven renewable projects totaling 15,000 megawatts, including five solar photovoltaic plants (Bisha 3,000 MW, Humaij 3,000 MW, Khulis 2,000 MW, Afif 1 and 2 at 2,000 MW each) marking the largest renewable capacity signed globally in a single phase.
• August 2025: ACWA Power commenced commercial operations at three solar power plants with combined capacity of 2.79 gigawatts, including the 1,425 MW Al Kahfah facility in Hail, 1,000 MW Al-Rass 2 plant in Qassim, and the remaining 365.7 MW of SAAD 2 project in Riyadh.
• September 2025: Saudi Arabia invited bids for 5.3 gigawatts of renewable projects under the National Renewable Energy Program, emphasizing innovative solar storage solutions to accelerate clean energy adoption and grid stability across the Kingdom.
• November 2025: ACWA Power reached financial close on the 15 gigawatt renewable energy portfolio valued at $5.95 billion, with projects scheduled for commercial operations in second half of 2027 and first half of 2028 across multiple Saudi regions.
• December 2025: ACWA Power and Bapco Energies announced a Joint Development Agreement for a 2.8 gigawatt solar power plant with large-scale battery storage in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, with electricity to be transmitted to Bahrain supporting cross-border renewable energy cooperation.

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