







































R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

29 

 

 

 

Article 

The important factors of Saudi Arabian 

policymaking in renewable energy resources 
Rahmat Hajimineh1*, Amir Mohammad Moghani2 

1Department of Communication and Social Science, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 
2ECO Faculty, Allameh Tabataba'i University, Tehran, Iran 

A R T I C L E   I N F O 
 

Article history: 
Received 16 October 2022  
Received in revised form 
17 November 2022 
Accepted 28 November 2022 
 
Keywords: 
Saudi Arabia, Renewable Energy Resources, 
Energy Security, Energy Consumption 
 
*Corresponding author 
Email address:  
r.hajimineh@gmail.com 

 
 
DOI: 10.55670/fpll.fuen.2.2.4 

A B S T R A C T 
 

There is no doubt that Saudi Arabia exports the most oil. The country has 
considered notable investments in Renewable Energy to diversify its economy 
and decrease dependence on oil export. The research aims to analyze the key 
factors that have influenced Saudi Arabia's renewable energy policy. The main 
question of our article is: What are the influential factors in Saudi Arabia's 
energy policy on renewable energy sources? In response, the research 
hypothesizes that the growing energy consumption of Saudi Arabia and its 
favorable geographical location for renewable energy production caused the 
country to invest in renewable energy for its energy mix, economy, and carbon 
emission reductions. To investigate the research hypothesis, we have used the 
theoretical framework of energy security by Benjamin Sovacool. The findings 
show that Saudi Arabia’s capital investments in renewable energy provide 
opportunities for the government to create a modern industry that creates jobs 
and revenue with the support of the private sector. Furthermore, industries and 
residences use renewable energy for electricity. Therefore, renewable energy 
has decreased fossil fuel dependence and diversification of the country's energy 
mix consumption. Data are collected through the library method. The analysis 
method is descriptive. 

 
1. Introduction  

Renewable Energy resources in the Middle East region, 

like East Asia and Europe, have not developed enough for 

several reasons. First, the existence of enormous natural 

resources (oil and Gas), and second, the lack of sufficient 

knowledge and investments in the research sector and 

development of Renewable Energy. According to the BP 

Statistical Review of World Energy 2022, Middle Eastern 

countries collectively hold 31.3% of the world’s oil 

production and 29.3% of the world’s gas production. But the 

question arises, why should countries in the Persian Gulf 

Council see the future differently? Saudi Arabia's economy is 

the largest in the Arab region. For decades, Saudi Arabia has 

relied heavily on the oil industry to build and maintain its 

prominent position in world politics. A significant amount of 

CO2 is released into the atmosphere by Saudi Arabia’s reliance 

on crude oil for electricity production. Furthermore, the 

production of electricity from Renewable energy is at a low 

level. The country has a high energy consumption due to its 

growing industries and population and will be unable to 

produce energy for domestic consumption in the future. Thus, 

Saudi Arabian government has invested in renewable energy 

sources. The country aims to achieve 50% of its electricity 

consumption from renewable sources. There have been a lot 

of studies discussing renewable energy resources and policy 

in Saudi Arabia. Salam & Khan [1] have completed their 

analysis of Saudi Arabia would be able to export more natural 

gas and oil if it reduced its domestic use of fossil fuels. Solar 

energy can also be used as an alternative to fossil fuels in 

Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, this process will contribute to the 

stability and security of the Persian Gulf region. Waheed [2] 

analyzed the theoretical and empirical effects of non-oil 

exports and tourism on the economic growth of Saudi Arabia. 

He concluded an efficient strategy for sustainable economic 

growth in Saudi Arabia is increasing non-oil export, such as 

renewable energy technologies, which can be an alternative 

to oil production. Al-Saidi [3] analyzed the indicators, goals, 

and processes of the Saudi Arabian energy transition toward 

renewable energy. He concluded that Saudi Arabia's energy 

transition is primarily driven by economic pressures. Mosly & 

Makki [4] analyzed the Saudi government's benefits from 

developing renewable energy. They concluded that 

renewable energy resources help to decrease fossil fuel 

consumption for electricity generation and exports of fossil 

fuels. The residents, however, benefit from the lower energy 

bills and government subsidies.  

 

 

Future Energy 

Open Access Journal 

https://doi.org/10.55670/fpll.fuen.2.2.4 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 01 | Pages 29-38 

Journal homepage: https://fupubco.com/fuen 

 
ISSN 2832-0328 

mailto:r.hajimineh@gmail.com
https://doi.org/10.55670/fpll.fuen.2.2.4
https://fupubco.com/fuen


R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

30 

 

Abubakar & Dano [5] analyzed Saudi Arabia’s Climate 

change. Therefore, they concluded climate change is a threat 

to Saudi Arabia because of its sensitive ecosystems, limited 

freshwater reserves, and substantial coastal development. In 

this regard, Al-Douri et al. [6] in their studies concluded that 

green energy helped Saudi Arabia to overcome air 

temperature, humidity, and pollution. Amran et al. [7] 

analyzed the current status, growth, potential, resources, 

sustainability performance, and future prospects of 

renewable energy technologies in Saudi Arabia. They 

concluded utilizing and developing renewable energy 

technologies could play a significant role in KSA's future. In 

this regard, Tlili’s research [8] concluded that solar and wind 

energy technologies contributed to reducing energy demand 

and creating efficient forms of energy. Barhoumi et al. [9] 

analyzed the energy resources in Saudi Arabia and their 

exploitation capabilities in terms of human resources. They 

concluded that a qualified workforce would be prepared 

using appropriate equipment and training. Research, 

development, and industrial production will be essential 

components of the energy production chain, as well as for the 

development of renewable technologies. Scholars 

emphasized the construction of universities and the training 

of specialized human resources. In addition, the different 

articles assume that renewable energy resources could be 

alternative choices to fossil fuels. The research aims to 

investigate the factors influencing Saudi policymaking 

regarding renewable energy. In this regard, the authors use 

the energy security theory by Benjamin Sovacool. 

2. Theoretical framework 

Energy is essential for sustainable economic growth. 

Industrialization and economic growth have increased 

energy consumption since the turn of the century. The scope 

of energy security assessments has expanded in recent years, 

now covering electricity reliability, oil and gas security, 

pipelines, LNG terminals, and the entire energy supply chain 

infrastructure [10]. Energy security within a consumer 

country means being able to provide energy services at 

reasonable prices without interruption. In contrast, major oil 

and gas producers aim to access new reserves and ensure the 

demand for their products. Saudi Arabia's energy security 

analysis is classified as energy producing country. Benjamin 

Sovacool defined energy security: "energy security should 

include the interconnected dimensions of availability, 

affordability, efficiency, and stewardship” [11]. In the 

following, “Energy Security” dimensions will be discussed. 

2.1 Availability 

Energy availability refers to the ability to secure 

“sufficient and uninterrupted supply” and the minimization of 

the dependence on imported fuels. Therefore, availability 

relates to ensuring relative independence and diversification 

of energy fuels and services [12]. 

2.2 Affordability 

The affordability of energy is a reflection of the economic 

feasibility of supplying it. Affordability is defined as providing 

adequate and uninterrupted supply at a reasonable price. 

Energy affordability is also affected by the personal ability to 

pay [13]. Therefore, energy exporting and importing 

countries are sensitive to energy price volatility. 

2.3 Efficiency 

The concept of energy efficiency encompasses not just 

engineering but also management and policy [14]. To ensure 

energy security, it is often necessary to increase energy 

efficiency, manage demand, substitute fuels, change 

consumer behavior and reduce energy consumption levels 

through effective technology. The development of energy 

technology improves the quality of energy services by 

reducing the costs and externalities associated with energy 

delivery [15]. 

2.4 Stewardship 

The concept of stewardship goes beyond protecting the 

environment; it also involves the governance of the energy 

system. Furthermore, the governance of energy has 

important in stewardship. As a measure of what countries 

have accomplished in reducing pollution, acid rain, 

greenhouse gas, and carbon dioxide emissions can reflect 

responsible environmental stewardship [16]. The following 

metrics can be used to measure the energy security 

dimension: 

The availability of oil and natural gas is measured by 

import dependence. Affordability is measured by energy 

prices such as electricity, oil, etc. Energy efficiency is 

measured by electricity use per capita and the average fuel 

economy of passenger vehicles. Environmental stewardship 

is measured by carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions [17]. 

3. Geography features of Saudi Arabia 

3.1 Saudi Arabia on the sun belt 

Most of Arabia is occupied by the Kingdom of Saudi 

Arabia. As shown in Figure 1, Saudi Arabia has access to the 

Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Furthermore, The Rub Al-Khali, 

or the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia is the largest continuous 

sand desert in the world. Its oil region is also in the Eastern 

Province along the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia's latitude is 

equal to 24° 16' 0.86" N, indicating that the country lies on the 

equator. Saudi Arabia's longitude is equal to 45° 06' 28.26" E, 

showing that the country lies in the eastern hemisphere of the 

world [19]. Solar resources are abundant in sunbelt countries 

at 40 degrees from the equator. Furthermore, five sun belt 

regions receive the majority of long-term direct solar 

radiation. Sunbelt regions include the Mediterranean and 

Northern Africa, South Africa, China and India, Latin America, 

and Australia [20]. Figure 2 shows Saudi Arabia's Sunbelt 

located in the west and southwest of the country. Saudi 

Arabia’s average insolation in ranges from a maximum of 

7.004 kWh/m2 in Bisha and a minimum of 4.479 kWh/m2 in 

Tabuk. The southern regions of the country, including Bisha, 

Nejran, and Sulayyil, experience higher levels of insolation 

[22]. 

3.2 Saudi Arabia's wind energy resource 

Wind power by using turbines generates electricity. 

Wind power can be an exciting alternative energy generating 

for Saudi Arabia. Figure 3 shows that Saudi Arabia has two 

regions for wind energy that include the coastal regions of the 

Persian Gulf and the  Red Sea. Wind speeds are higher within 

the northeast, in the center, and near the mountains in the 

west. The average wind speed of the east is equal to 7.5-8 m/s 

and on the west coast is equal to 7-7.5 m/s.  

 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

31 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure2. Saudi Arabia solar irradiation [21] 

Figure 1. Geographical location map of Saudi Arabia [18] 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

32 

 

 

 

 

Furthermore, the average wind speed of the central 

region is equal to 5-6.5 m / s [23]. “King Abdullah City for 

Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) has established ten 

metering stations: in Sharurah, Hafar Al Batin, two sites in 

Yanbu, and two sites in Aljof, Traif, Jeddah, and Riyadh [24]. 

3.3 Geothermal energy of Saudi Arabia 

Geothermal energy is heat within the earth. The 

Geothermal word origin includes two Greek words geo 

(earth) and thermal (heat). Due to the continued production 

of heat within the earth, geothermal kind of a renewable 

source. Governments use geothermal energy for industry, to 

heat buildings, and to generate electricity [26]. The most 

significant use of geothermal energy is electricity generation. 

The Kingdom is rich in geothermal energy, mainly distributed 

in the west and south. Saudi Arabia is one of the most active 

geothermal countries in the Middle East. Geothermal 

resources of Saudi Arabia can be divided into three levels: 

Low, medium, and high enthalpy resources. Sources of 

Medium enthalpy on the western and southwestern coasts 

(especially in the areas of Al Lith and Jazan) and shallow 

surface waters are represented by hot springs. In the 

geothermal region of Saudi Arabia, the temperature varies 

from 150 to 300 degrees Celsius [27]. Based on Figure 4, high-

enthalpy sources, it is located in the Red Sea, west of Saudi 

Arabia. 

4. Results and discussion 

4.1 Energy availability 

Security supply in Saudi Arabia is not monitored as it is 

in energy-importing countries. The country isn't worried 

about supplying energy to run its economy, at least for now.  

 

 

 

The government instead is concerned about how to 

protect its domestic oil assets against security threats and 

ensure that future generations will be able to use them 

successfully. Saudi Arabia owns 17% of the world's proven oil 

reserves [29]. Therefore, a large share of Saudi Arabia’s fiscal 

revenue is derived from oil, which is an important part of its 

economy. In 2010, oil revenues accounted for 75 percent of 

budget revenues, with high volatility, peaking at 93 percent in 

2011 and failing to 53 percent in 2020, as the Covid-19 crisis 

reduced global oil demand. Therefore, government budget 

balances have also fluctuated with oil prices, with large 

surpluses during boom times and deficits when oil prices are 

depressed [30]. Aside from oil, Saudi Arabia also has natural 

gas, iron ore, gold, and copper. The country’s manufacturing 

sector has also grown at an average annual rate of 75% until 

2018 [31]. The country ranks as the largest energy consumer 

in its fuel production [32]. By 2038, Saudi Arabia will become 

a net oil importer if it does not reduce oil consumption in the 

energy sector [33]. The role of energy in human lives and 

economic activity cannot be overstated, both as a scale of 

development and as a primary need of humanity [34]. 

Therefore, energy consumption per capita is the measure of 

economic progress in a country. For sustainable economic 

growth, Saudi Arabia must search for alternative fuels for its 

industry. Economic growth and industrial development are 

closely tied to electricity consumption and production. 

According to British Petroleum statistics, Saudi Arabia has 

grown by 4.7% in its electricity production in the last decade. 

Furthermore, in 2021, a total of 356.6 terawatt hours of 

electricity was generated, which was a significant portion of 

the energy used to generate electricity from oil and gas.  

Figure 3. Saudi Arabia’s wind speed [25] 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

33 

 

 

 

Figure 5 illustrates that Saudi Arabia has less diversity in 

its electricity production than Iran and the United Arab 

Emirates. Saudi Arabia generates half of its electricity from 

oil, which is higher than its two neighbors. Diversification of 

its electricity production is also important for the country's 

economy and industry. 

4.2 Energy affordability 

Population growth and industrialization have increased 

the energy demand, putting additional pressure on Saudi 

Arabia’s economic and environmental sectors. Despite its vast 

oil reserves, Saudi Arabia faces different structural problems 

due to its fixed rate of oil production per citizen, which is 

aggravated by rapid population growth and high 

unemployment. The population of Saudi Arabia in 2000 was 

20,600,000 people, to reach 35,700,000 people in 2022 [36]. 

Domestic energy prices have been set by the Saudi 

government below international market prices for a long 

time. Subsidies on energy help low-income households and 

keep prices stable. Energy subsidies, however, can lead to 

high energy demand and wasteful consumption while limiting 

incentives to invest in energy efficiency [37]. Government 

energy subsidies help make energy affordable for domestic 

and industrial use, but cheap energy causes energy waste. 

4.3 Energy efficiency 

A rapidly growing population is a significant reason for 

the increasing energy consumption growth. Energy subsidies 

and policies to attract investment for energy sectors such as 

aluminum and petrochemicals are also factors contributing 

to Saudi Arabia’s increasing energy consumption per capita.  

 

 

Furthermore, due to the lack of fresh water, the country 

uses much energy for desalination to meet its basic water 

needs [38]. It is estimated that Saudi Arabia’s transportation 

sector consumes a million barrels of oil each day, which 

accounts for 21% of the country’s total energy consumption 

[39].  Figure 6 shows that Saudi Arabia's electricity 

consumption has increased over the years. Therefore, from 

2010 to 2021, household and industrial consumption have 

grown significantly compared to other consumption. For 

efficient energy consumption in industries it is possible to 

contribute to efficient energy consumption by investing in 

technology and advanced industrial machines. In addition, 

improving households' energy consumption methods leads to 

greater efficiency. 

4.4 Stewardship 

An enormous amount of energy is required to boost 

economic growth and income. Furthermore, economic 

growth leads to an increase in infrastructure and 

transportation activities, both require power to operate, and 

direct air pollution is expected. Due to Saudi Arabia’s heavy 

reliance on fossil fuels for energy production, rising energy 

consumption could result in significant CO2 emissions  [41]. 

Figure 7  depicts the CO2 emissions of Saudi Arabia. Therefore, 

the country's emission is equal to 588.8 million tons. 

Furthermore, the CO2 emissions of Saudi Arabia increased 

from 47.02.2 million tons in 1971 to 588.8 million tons in 

2020. The CO2 emissions of Saudi Arabia have increased by 

5.28% on average per year [42]. Aramco, the national oil 

company of Saudi Arabia, emits around 18 tons of CO2 per 

person, making it one of the biggest CO2 emitters in the world.  

Figure 4. Saudi Arabia’s geothermal map [28] 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

34 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oil Gas
Renewable

energy
Coal Nuclear Power Hydropower

Saudi Arabia 139.9 215.9 0.8 0 0 0

Iran 48.7 288.3 1.8 0.7 3.5 14.9

UAE 0.05 123.7 5.2 0 10.5 0

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350
Te

ra
w

at
t 

H
o

u

Saudi Arabia

Iran

UAE

0

50,000,000

100,000,000

150,000,000

200,000,000

250,000,000

300,000,000

350,000,000

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

M
ax

im
u

m
 e

le
ct

ri
ci

ty
 c

o
n

su
m

o
ti

o
n

 (
M

gh
)

Residential Consumption Government Consumption Commercial Consumption

Industrial Consumption Other Consumption

Figure 5. Comparison of electricity production in Saudi Arabia, Iran and the UAE in 2021 [35] 

Figure 6. Electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia from 2010 to 2021 (in different sectors) [40] 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

35 

 

 

 

 

Saudi Aramco is the world’s largest carbon dioxide emitter, 

producing over 60 billion tons since the 1960s. 

5. National Renewable Energy Program of Saudi Arabia 

As a part of Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia aims to diversify 

beyond oil production. A long-term strategic initiative led by 

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Energy Industry and Mineral 

Resources (MEIM); the National Renewable Energy Program 

(NREP) directly supports the Kingdom's 2030 vision. By 

implementing NREP, Saudi Arabia will reduce its oil reliance 

and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as a result of the Paris 

agreement. Also, new jobs will be created, stimulating 

economic development throughout the Kingdom, thereby 

ensuring long-term prosperity consistent with Vision 2030 

[44]. The NREP is funded by Public Investment Fund (PIF). 

Acwa Power has plans to build 11.8 GW by 2025, fulfilling the 

government's aims to generate 50% of electricity from 

renewable sources by 2030 and the rest from natural gas [45]. 

One of the most successful projects of renewable energy 

resources is the Sakaka project. The Sakaka project is a 

300MW photovoltaic (PV) solar. In April 2021, the Sakaka 

project was commissioned by its developers, ACWA Power 

(70%) and AlGihaz Renewable Energy Company (30%) [46]. 

Another project is the wind farm. The Dumat Al Jandal wind 

farm is the first wind power plant in Saudi Arabia and the 

largest plant in the Middle East. The wind farm capacity is 

equal to 400MW. The plant is being developed by a 

consortium led by EDF Renewables (51%) and Masdar (49%) 

[47]. The construction of the wind farm started in 2019, and 

the first wind turbines were installed in 2020. 

 

 

 

Dumat Al-Jandal’s first stage of wind electricity 

generation began in August 2021 [48]. Furthermore, the 

Saudi Ministry of Energy is advancing renewable energy 

projects with a total capacity of 7.1 gigawatts (GWs), which 

are in different stages of development. Under NREP a further 

15 GWs are expected to be installed in 2022 and 2023, 

bringing the current capacity of renewable energy projects in 

the Kingdom to 700 MW [49]. 

6. The Line City 

Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, Chairman of the 

Neom Company’s board, unveiled the idea of a linear city. 

Neom Company distributes announcements stating that Line 

city will be a revolution in urban living, a $500 billion cross-

border city in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province. The Linear City 

project is 100 miles long and located in the west of the 

country [50]. The line will be a smart city in the country. It is 

expected that Neom will become a hub for the generation of 

renewable energy derived from wind, solar and green 

hydrogen, as well as a development ground for advanced 

technologies as part of a shift to a low-carbon economy. The 

Line City is a future city powered by renewable energy. The 

use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can provide all 

the energy it needs from geothermal, wind energy, solar PV, 

and batteries. Furthermore, AI technologies can improve 

energy efficiency and renewable energy integration in a smart 

city and create cost-effective and environmentally friendly 

solutions for the city. Upon completion, the city will create 

thousands of jobs for Saudi Arabia’s residents and diversify 

the country’s economy [51]. 

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2015 2020

CO2 emissions 47.02 187.55 173.48 265.15 487.93 611.59 588.81

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700
to

n
s

Figure 7. Saudi Arabia's Carbon dioxide emissions from 1970 to 2020 [43] 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

36 

 

7. Challenges for Widespread Renewable Energy 

Development in Saudi Arabia 

Renewable energy investment has faced many 

challenges worldwide, including financial, technical, and 

small market challenges. The cost of renewable energy 

technology, maintenance, and training still outweighs that of 

conventional energy sources. In general, wind turbines and 

solar PV are more costly to invest in but are less expensive to 

operate and maintain [52]. The Saudi Arabian shift to 

renewable energy is costly and challenging compared to fossil 

fuel technology. Furthermore, PV and Concentrated Solar 

Power (CSP) technologies are ineffective in Saudi Arabia due 

to high temperatures and significant dust levels. High 

temperatures reduce PV efficiency, while dust reduces CSP 

output, especially on reflectors. In order to solve these 

problems, PV systems need cooling and washing systems, 

which increase their maintenance costs [53]. Since the 

country’s economy depends heavily on fossil fuels, 

nonrenewable energy dominates current energy markets. 

Renewable energy must compete with fossil fuels. There is 

massive government support for fossil fuels, even though the 

government offers rebates and incentives for solar energy 

[54]. Oil and gas operations in Saudi Arabia are controlled by 

Aramco, the country's national oil company. It is the second-

largest producer of oil in the world. Saudi Arabia’s 

investments in natural gas and nuclear power indicate that 

these sources can be integrated into its future energy mix 

consumption and affect its investment in renewable energy. 

As long-term electricity sources, natural gas and nuclear 

power offer low fuel costs and high-capacity factors. The mix 

of energy sources should be taken into consideration by 

decision-makers and government entities in light of these 

facts [55]. Therefore, the competition for renewable energy 

with the second-largest oil company is challenging. Due to the 

cheapness of fossil fuels and their market dominance, the 

renewable energy market remains small and 

underdeveloped. 

8. Conclusion  

Energy is the main factor in economic and industrial 

growth. The countries try a lot for the security of supply at an 

affordable price. With an annual economic growth of 7.5 

percent, Saudi Arabia needs enormous energy. Furthermore, 

population and industry growth caused energy consumption 

to increase, especially oil and electricity for domestic use. The 

industrial sector in Saudi Arabia is regarded as a promising 

area for business growth that could provide more private-

sector jobs for citizens in the coming decades. Saudi Arabia 

has also discovered that its abundant crude oil inputs and 

cheap foreign labor aren't enough to generate wealth for its 

growing population. Saudi Arabia, therefore, is investing in 

renewable energy to diversify its economy and reduce its 

dependence on crude oil. The country’s location in the sunbelt 

and between the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea has made it a 

significant advantage in geothermal, solar, and wind energy 

production.  Further, Saudi Arabia is seeking to attract capital 

to the renewable energy sector. Through private sector 

investments and public-private partnerships, Saudi Arabia 

can develop a new industry for renewable energy technology. 

Thus, the country is encouraging private investments in 

renewable energy. As a result of Saudi Arabia's investment in 

renewable energy, domestic oil consumption and pollution 

can be reduced. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia's commitment to 

the Paris Climate Agreement has caused the country to turn 

to new energies to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The 

infrastructures of Saudi Arabia are very energy-intensive, and 

a lot of energy spend on their use. Therefore, Saudi Arabia has 

taken different steps to reform its energy prices to prevent 

energy wastage. The country must also encourage 

collaboration between science, technology, and innovation to 

accomplish its renewable energy goals. Several challenges are 

facing renewable energy development, such as technological 

issues, high initial costs, low efficiency, funding shortages, and 

small market share. The government can solve these 

problems by establishing renewable energy projects with 

long-term power purchase contracts, which will provide 

stable revenues for investors. Furthermore, the power 

purchase contracts could also protect buyers from future 

volatility in electricity. 

Ethical issue 
The authors are aware of and comply with best practices in 
publication ethics, specifically with regard to authorship 
(avoidance of guest authorship), dual submission, 
manipulation of figures, competing interests, and compliance 
with policies on research ethics. The authors adhere to 
publication requirements that the submitted work is original 
and has not been published elsewhere in any language. 

Data availability statement 
Datasets analyzed during the current study are available and 
can be given following a reasonable request from the 
corresponding author. 

Conflict of interest 

The authors declare no potential conflict of interest. 

References 

[1] Salam, M. A., & Khan, S. A. (2017). Transition towards 

sustainable energy production – A review of the 

progress for solar energy in Saudi Arabia. Energy 

Exploration & Exploitation, 36(1), 3–27. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1177/0144598717737442 

[2]  Waheed, R., Sarwar, S., & Dignah, A. (2020). The role of 

non-oil exports, tourism and renewable energy to 

achieve sustainable economic growth: What we learn 

from the experience of Saudi Arabia. Structural Change 

and Economic Dynamics, 55, 49–58. At; 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.strueco.2020.06.005 

[3]  Al-Saidi, M. (2022). Energy transition in Saudi Arabia: 

Giant leap or necessary adjustment for a large carbon 

economy? Energy Reports, 8, 312–318. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egyr.2022.01.015 

[4]  Mosly, I., & Makki, A. (2018). Current Status and 

Willingness to Adopt Renewable Energy Technologies 

in Saudi Arabia. Sustainability, 10(11), 4269. 

https://doi.org/10.3390/su10114269 

[5]  Abubakar, I. R., & Dano, U. L. (2019). Sustainable urban 

planning strategies for mitigating climate change in 

Saudi Arabia. Environment, Development and 

Sustainability, 22(6), 5129–5152. 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-019-00417-1 

[6]  Al-Douri, Y., Waheeb, S. A., & Voon, C. H. (2019). 

Review of the renewable energy outlook in Saudi 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

37 

 

Arabia. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 

11(1), 015906. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5058184 

[7]  Amran, Y. A., Amran, Y. M., Alyousef, R., & 

Alabduljabbar, H. (2020, February). Renewable and 

sustainable energy production in Saudi Arabia 

according to Saudi Vision 2030; Current status and 

future prospects. Journal of Cleaner Production, 247, 

119602. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119602 

[8]  Tlili, I. (2014). Renewable energy in Saudi Arabia: 

current status and future potentials. Environment, 

Development and Sustainability, 17(4), 859–886. 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-014-9579-9 

[9]  Barhoumi, E.M., Okonkwo, P.C., Zghaibeh, M. et al. 

Renewable energy resources and workforce case study 

Saudi Arabia: review and recommendations. J Therm 

Anal Calorim 141, 221–230 (2020). At:  

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-09189-2 

[10]  Sovacool, B. K. (2012). Energy security: challenges and 

needs. WIREs Energy and Environment, 1(1), 51–59. 

At: https://doi.org/10.1002/wene.13 

[11]  Sovacool, B. K. (2010). The Routledge Handbook of 

Energy Security (Routledge International Handbooks) 

(1st ed.). Routledge. ISBN 9780415721639. Published 

February 5, 2014 by Routledge, 464 Pages 

[12]  Novikau, A. (2019). Conceptualizing and achieving 

energy security: The case of Belarus. Energy Strategy 

Reviews, 26, 100408. 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esr.2019.100408 

[13]  Fang, D., Shi, S., & Yu, Q. (2018). Evaluation of 

Sustainable Energy Security and an Empirical Analysis 

of China. Sustainability, 10(5). At: 

https://doi.org/10.3390/su10051685 

[14]  Shove, E. (2017). What is wrong with energy 

efficiency? Building Research & Information, 46(7), 

779–789. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2017.1361746 

[15]  Sovacool, B. K., & Brown, M. A. (2010, November 21). 

Competing Dimensions of Energy Security: An 

International Perspective. Annual Review of 

Environment and Resources, 35(1), 77–108. 

https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-environ-042509-

143035 

[16]  Brown, M. A., Wang, Y., Sovacool, B. K., & D’Agostino, A. 

L. (2014). Forty years of energy security trends: A 

comparative assessment of 22 industrialized countries. 

Energy Research & Social Science, 4, 64–77. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2014.08.008 

[17]  Paravantis, J. (2019). Dimensions, Components and 

Metrics of Energy Security: Review and Synthesis. 

SPOUDAI Journal of Economics and Business, 69(4), 

38–52. Retrieved from 

https://spoudai.unipi.gr/index.php/spoudai/article/vi

ew/2755 

[18]  Infoplease. (2022, March 24). Saudi Arabia. Retrieved 

from 

https://www.infoplease.com/world/countries/saudi-

arabia 

[19]  All Famous Faqs. (2022, March 23). What region of the 

world is Saudi Arabia in? 

https://allfamousbirthday.com/faqs/what-region-of-

the-world-is-saudi-arabia-in/ 

[20]  Wang, Z. (2019). Design of Solar Thermal Power Plants 

(1st ed.). Academic Press. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/C2017-0-03007-0 

[21]  Solargis. (2020). Solar resource maps of Saudi Arabia. 

Retrieved September 26, 2022, from 

https://solargis.com/maps-and-gis-

data/download/saudi-arabia 

[22]  Almasoud, A., & Gandayh, H. M. (2015). Future of solar 

energy in Saudi Arabia. Journal of King Saud University 

- Engineering Sciences, 27(2), 153–157. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksues.2014.03.007 

[23]  Allhibi, H., Chowdhury, H., Zaid, M., Loganathan, B., & 

Alam, F. (2019). Prospect of wind energy utilization in 

Saudi Arabia: A review. Energy Procedia, 160, 746–

751. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.egypro.2019.02.184 

[24]  AlGhamdi, S. A., Abdel-Latif, A. M., Abd El-Kawi, O. S., & 

Abouelatta, O. B. (2022). Analysis of Wind Speed Data 

and Wind Energy Potential for Seven Selected 

Locations in KSA. Journal of Power and Energy 

Engineering, 10(04), 1–26. 

https://doi.org/10.4236/jpee.2022.104001 

[25]  Abdelaziz Mohamed, M., & Eltamaly, A. M. (2017, 

August 4). Modeling of Hybrid Renewable Energy 

System. Modeling and Simulation of Smart Grid 

Integrated With Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems, 

11–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-64795-

1_2 

[26]  EIA (Energy Information Administration). (2021, 

December 21). Geothermal explained. EIA. Retrieved 

from 

https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/geothermal/ 

[27]  Zohbi, G. A., & AlAmri, F. G. (2020). Current Situation of 

Renewable Energy in Saudi Arabia: Opportunities and 

Challenges. Journal of Sustainable Development, 13(2), 

98–119. At: https://doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v13n2p98 

[28]  OPEC. (2021). OPEC : Saudi Arabia. Organization of the 

Petroleum Exporting Countries. Retrieved from 

https://www.opec.org/opec_web/en/about_us/169.ht

m 

[29]  Aboud, E., Qaddah, A., Harbi, H., & Alqahtani, F. (2021). 

Geothermal Resources Database in Saudi Arabia 

(GRDiSA): GIS model and geothermal favorability map. 

Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 14(2), 1-10. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-06426-z 

[30]  Zeidane, Z. (2022, August). Country report: SAUDI 

ARABIA (No. 22/275). International Monetary Fund. 

https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/202

2/08/11/Saudi-Arabia-Selected-Issues-522192 

[31]  White, G. (2020, May 16). Is Saudi Arabia going to be 

the world’s next big manufacturing destination? 

Manufacturing Digital. Retrieved from 

https://manufacturingdigital.com/smart-

manufacturing/saudi-arabia-going-be-worlds-next-

big-manufacturing-destination 

[32]  Tazay, A. (2020). Techno-Economic Feasibility 

Analysis of a Hybrid Renewable Energy Supply Options 

for University Buildings in Saudi Arabia. Open 



R Hajimineh and A Moghani /Future Energy                                                                                May 2023| Volume 02 | Issue 02| Pages 29-38 

38 

 

Engineering, 11(1), 39–55. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1515/eng-2021-0005U.S. 

[33]  Salah, M. M., Abo-khalil, A. G., & Praveen, R. (2021). 

Wind speed characteristics and energy potential for 

selected sites in Saudi Arabia. Journal of King Saud 

University - Engineering Sciences, 33(2), 119–128. At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jksues.2019.12.006 

[34]  Esen, Ömer  y  BAYRAK, Metin.Does more energy 

consumption support economic growth in net energy-

importing countries. Journal of Economics, Finance 

and Administrative Science [online]. 2017, vol.22, n.42, 

pp.75-98. ISSN 2077-1886. 

[35]  BP. (2022). BP Energy Outlook: 2022 edition. 

https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/business-

sites/en/global/corporate/pdfs/energy-

economics/statistical-review/bp-stats-review-2022-

full-report.pdf 

[36]  Worldometer. (2022). Saudi Arabia Population (2022) 

- Worldometer. Retrieved from 

https://www.worldometers.info/world-

population/saudi-arabia-population/ 

[37]  Aldubyan, M., & Gasim, A. (2021). Energy price reform 

in Saudi Arabia: Modeling the economic and 

environmental impacts and understanding the demand 

response. Energy Policy, 148, 1-13 At: 

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2020.111941 

[38]  Bambawale, M. J., & Sovacool, B. K. (2011). Sheikhs on 

barrels: what Saudi Arabians think about energy 

security. Contemporary Arab Affairs, 4(2), 208–224. 

At: https://doi.org/10.1080/17550912.2011.569466 

[39]  Howarth, Nicholas, Alessandro Lanza, and Thamir 

Alshehri.  2019.  Saudi Arabia’s 2018 CO2 Emissions 

Fall Faster Than Expected.  KS--2019-II01.  Riyadh: 

KAPSARC. Retrieved from 

https://www.kapsarc.org/research/publications/saud

i-arabias-2018-co2-emissions-fall-faster-than-

expected/ 

[40]  Saudi Central Bank. (2022). Electricity Consumption of 

The Kingdom by Type of Consumption and Its Ratio to 

The Total. Saudi Central Bank. Retrieved September 

20, 2022, from https://www.sama.gov.sa/en-

US/EconomicReports/Pages/report.aspx?cid=126  

[41]  Mahmood, H., Alkhateeb, T. T. Y., Al-Qahtani, M. M. Z., 

Allam, Z., Ahmad, N., & Furqan, M. (2020). Energy 

consumption, economic growth and pollution in Saudi 

Arabia. Management Science Letters, 979–984. At: 

https://doi.org/10.5267/j.msl.2019.11.013 

[42]  Knoema. (2021, October 14). Saudi Arabia CO2 

emissions, 1970–2021 - knoema.com. Retrieved from 

https://knoema.com/atlas/Saudi-Arabia/CO2-

emissions 

[43]  Statista. (2021, November 12). CO2 emissions from 

fossil fuel & industrial purposes in Saudi Arabia 1970–

2020. Retrieved from 

https://www.statista.com/statistics/486065/co2-

emissions-saudi-arabia-fossil-fuel-and-industrial-

purposes/ 

[44]  KSA Climate. (2018, November 21). NATIONAL 

RENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAM. Retrieved from 

https://ksa-climate.com/making-a-difference/nrep/ 

[45]  IEA. (2022, January 22). Saudi National Renewable 

Energy Program (NREP) – Policies. Retrieved from 

https://www.iea.org/policies/14658-saudi-national-

renewable-energy-program-nrep 

[46]  Power Technology. (2021, April 20). Sakaka 

Photovoltaic Solar Project. Retrieved from 

https://www.power-

technology.com/projects/sakaka-photovoltaic-solar-

project/ 

[47]  Ellichipuram, U. (2021, August 9). Dumat Al Jandal 

wind farm in Saudi Arabia starts production. Power 

Technology. https://www.power-

technology.com/news/dumat-al-jandal-wind/ 

[48]   NS Energy. (2021, August 12). Dumat Al Jandal Wind 

Farm, Al Jouf, Saudi Arabia. 

https://www.nsenergybusiness.com/projects/dumat-

al-jandal-wind-farm/ 

[49]  Argaam. (2022, July 25). Saudi Arabia plans to add 15 

GWs of renewable energy projects in 2022, 2023: S&P 

Global. ArgaamPlus. 

https://www.argaam.com/en/article/articledetail/id/

1576240 

[50]  Paszkowska-Kaczmarek, N. (2021). The Line – The 

Saudi-Arabian Linear City Concept as the Prototype of 

Future Cities. Architecturae Et Artibus, 13(2), 33–46. 

https://doi.org/10.24427/aea-2021-vol13-no2-03 

[51]  Al-sayed, A., Al-shammari, F., Alshutayri, A., Aljojo, N., 

Aldhahri, E., & Abouola, O. (2022, March 14). The 

Smart City-Line in Saudi Arabia: Issue and Challenges. 

Postmodern Openings, 13(1 Sup1), 15–37. 

https://doi.org/10.18662/po/13.1sup1/412 

[52]  IEA (2020), Renewable energy market update, IEA, 

Paris https://www.iea.org/reports/renewable-

energy-market-update 

[53]  Al Yousif, M. A. (2020, July 30). Renewable Energy 

Challenges and Opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi 

Arabia. International Journal of Economics and 

Finance, 12(9), 1. 

https://doi.org/10.5539/ijef.v12n9p1 

[54]  Regen-Power. (2021, June 4). What are the problems 

faced by renewable energy? Regen Power. Retrieved 

September 16, 2022, from 

https://regenpower.com/articles/what-are-the-

problems-faced-by-renewable-energy/ 

[55]  Salim, A. M., & Alsyouf, I. (2020, April 4). Development 

of renewable energy in the GCC region: status and 

challenges. International Journal of Energy Sector 

Management, 14(6), 1049–1071. 

https://doi.org/10.1108/ijesm-07-2019-0012 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This article is an open-access article 

distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative 

Commons Attribution (CC BY) license 

(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 

https://ksa-climate.com/making-a-difference/nrep/

