
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 equip. Cutting-edge research into new technologies for photovoltaic cells, a favorable climate and strong collaborations with industry are key factors in Saudi Arabia’s development of solar power. [pdf]
Leveraging its abundant sunshine and vast desert areas, Saudi Arabia is now pivoting to solar energy, aligning with its Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy and ensure sustainable growth by reducing oil dependency and investing in renewable energy.
The average energy from the sunlight falling on Saudi Arabia is 2200 thermal kWh/m 2 ( Alawaji, 2001 ), and it is therefore worthwhile to attempt to generate clean energy in the country via direct sunlight through PV cells. Applications of solar energy in Saudi Arabia have been growing since 1960.
The Lunch of Saudi Solar Energy Program Sakaka, Al Shuaibah, and Sudair Solar Energy Projects have been completed By 2030, the gaol is 40GW PV solar and 2.7GW (CSP) concentrated solar power capacity
This move towards solar energy in Saudi Arabia is driven by a desire to reduce oil dependency, enhance economic stability amidst oil price fluctuations, and address environmental concerns by cutting carbon emissions, as highlighted by the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Key locations include Sakaka in Al Jouf Province, Al Shuaibah in Makkah Province, and Sudair in Riyadh Province, among others. These projects capitalize on Saudi Arabia's geographical position and favorable weather conditions to generate solar power. Solar energy is set to expand nationwide.
KAUST’s Stefaan De Wolf believes there is a great opportunity for cheap and abundant photovoltaics and other renewable sources of energy, such as wind, to electrify the country’s energy sector. “There are huge opportunities for Saudi Arabia, thanks to its abundant solar irradiance,” he says.

Maryland-based Solar Wind Energy, Inc. was developing a 685 metres (2,247 ft) tower. Under the most recent design specifications, the Tower designed for a site near San Luis, Arizona, has a gross production capacity on an hourly basis, of up to 1,250 megawatt hours. Due to lower capacities during winter days, the average hourly output per day for sale to the grid for the entire year averages approximately 435 megawatt hours/hr. [pdf]
But Maryland-based Solar Wind Energy, Inc. is looking to turn wind power on its head with the Solar Wind Downdraft Tower, which places turbines at the base of a tower and generates its own wind to turn them.
Solar tower works only when there's daylight and batteries may be needed to store excess. Maryland-based Solar Wind Energy, Inc. is looking to turn wind power on its head with its Solar Wind Downdraft Tower that places turbines at the base of a tower and generates its own wind to turn them.
Solar Updraft towers, also called solar wind or solar chimney plants, provide a very simple method for renewable electricity generation, with a constant and reliable output. Other renewable energy sources such as wind turbines and solar arrays suffer from high diurnal and seasonal fluctuations, or unpredictable patterns of output.
The turbine drives a generator which produces the electricity. The greater the temperature difference between the air and water, the greater the energy efficiency. Therefore, downdraft energy towers should work best in a hot dry climate. Energy towers require large quantities of water.
The greater the temperature difference between the air and water, the greater the energy efficiency. Therefore, downdraft energy towers should work best in a hot dry climate. Energy towers require large quantities of water. Salt water is acceptable, although care must be taken to prevent corrosion; desalination can help solve this problem.
There will then be two layers generating convection, possibly increasing the efficiency of the tower. The top layer would ensure the heat is not trapped in the bottom layer, thus preventing the heating up of the city. The constant air pull of the solar updraft tower will partially combat the heat island effect.

According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Madagascar has not installed any new solar capacity since 2018, with cumulative capacity now standing at 33 MW.. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Madagascar has not installed any new solar capacity since 2018, with cumulative capacity now standing at 33 MW.. Renewable energy is set to represent 85% of Madagascar’s energy mix by 2030, with solar making up 5% of this total. [pdf]
With all regions of Madagascar enjoying over 2,800 hours of sunlight per year, the Grande Île is the perfect location for development of solar power, with a potential capacity of 2,000 kWh/m²/year. The Government is counting on this potential to fulfill its objective of providing energy access to 70% of Malagasy households by 2030.
With only a 15% connection rate, Madagascar faces a chronic lack of access to electricity, which hampers its economic and social development. However, there is tremendous potential in terms of solar power, estimated at 2,000 kWh/m²/year as a result of the 2,800 hours of annual sunlight the country enjoys.
Madagascar is currently the fifth country in Africa in which a Scaling Solar tender process was launched, after two tender processes in Zambia, one in Senegal, and another in Ethiopia. It is also the first Scaling Solar project to include solar energy storage requirements by pairing solar with batteries.
Much of Madagascar’s renewable electricity supply is sourced from hydroelectric plants, which require substantial improvement in capacity potential. Developing and expanding the network of small hydroelectric power plants in particular is an opportunity that the energy sector must further explore.
Of Madagascar’s 27 million inhabitants, 63% live in rural areas according to data by the World Bank from 2018. This leaves the country with the difficult task of creating a stable, pervasive energy network in order to supply the majority of the population with electricity.
Over the past decade, JIRAMA’s customers, both household and industrial alike, have experienced repeated power outages. In Madagascar, only 15% of the population has access to electricity. In 2017, the country had just 570 MW of mainly thermal (60%) and hydroelectric (40%) installed production capacity.
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