Could a power purchase agreement make large-scale solar projects viable in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi scientists have determined the current price threshold for power purchase agreements (PPA) that could make large-scale PV and wind power projects viable in Saudi Arabia. They incorporated data from the 300 MW Sakaka solar farm and four potential utility-scale PV project sites.

How much solar power does Saudi Arabia have?

The country currently has around 190 MW of installed solar capacity, according to Apricum. In May, Saudi Arabian developer ACWA Power won a bid to develop 110 MW of floating solar in water reservoirs, 50 MW on the island of Sumatra, and 60 MW on Java.

Where should solar farms be located in Saudi Arabia?

They said this facilitated the identification of four “optimal” locations for large-scale solar farms in Tabuk, Al Madinah, Makkah, and Riyadh provinces, as well as other suitable locations for wind power in Al Madinah, Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern provinces.

Are solar PV-wind technologies economically feasible in South Africa?

“Sensitivity analysis of PPA rates indicated that solar PV, wind energy, and hybrid solar PV-wind technologies are economically feasible in SA at PPA rates above $32.8/MWh, $26.1/MWh, and $50.6/MWh, respectively,” they concluded.

Do tariffs make solar projects economically unviable?

They incorporated data from the 300 MW Sakaka solar farm and four potential utility-scale PV project sites. Researchers at King Abdulaziz University have conducted a techno-economic analysis for utility-scale wind and solar plants in Saudi Arabia and have found that current tariffs make projects economically unviable.