Saudi Arabia plans to generate 15.1 TWh of renewable energy annually by 2024 that will be sufficient to meet the power requirements of 692,557 households, said the Kingdom’s General Authority for Statistics.

The country’s National Renewable Energy Program has 13 projects with a total capacity of 4,870 MW, with solar accounting for 91.8% at 4,470MW and wind representing the remaining 8.2% at 400 MW capacity.

The program is expected to provide 7,870 new job opportunities by the end of 2024. The program would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 9,828,156 tons annually by 2024 and reduce fossil fuel consumption.

According to General Authority for Statistics, the Seder region will generate 4,450 MWh of renewable energy annually while reducing 2,900 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. The Rass and Dumat-al-Jandal regions will generate 2,176 MWh and 1,588 MWh. Rass and Dumat-al-Jandal would reduce 1,415 and 1,032 tons of carbon dioxide annually.

In October 2021, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy announced the list of bids received from developers to participate in the country’s third phase of renewable energy projects.

The third phase includes four solar photovoltaic projects, with a total capacity of 1.2 GW. The third phase includes 120 MW Wadi Ad Dawasir and 80 MW Layla solar projects, 700 MW Ar Rass and 300 MW Saad solar projects. Each of the four projects is obligated to meet the local content requirements imposed by the Local Content and Government Procurement Authority to increase the value-added contribution of products and services to the national economy.

Being the world’s largest oil exporter, Saudi Arabia aims to generate 50% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. In April 2021, the country signed power purchase agreements for seven solar projects with a combined capacity of 3 GW, according to the U.S.Energy Information Administration.

Mercom had earlier reported that Air Products, in collaboration with ACWA Power and NEOM, announced the signing of an agreement to develop a $5 billion (~₹372.7 billion) green hydrogen-based ammonia production facility powered by renewable energy. Touted as the world’s largest green hydrogen project, it will supply 650 tons of carbon-free hydrogen for transportation globally and save the world three million tons of carbon dioxide annually.