Saudi Arabia Aims For 40 GW Solar By 2030

• Saudi Arabia said it is aiming to have 60 GW renewable energy capacity by 2030, reported Emirates News Agency, WAM
• The share of solar in this overarching target will be 40 GW with wind and other sources adding 20 GW
• These are being targeted under the framework of KSA Vision 2030 and National Transformation 2020 Programme

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has shared some concrete plans regarding its renewable energy ambitions, pinning these at 60 GW in total by 2030. Solar is foreseen to produce 40 GW, the other 20 GW will come from wind power and other sources, said Dr Khalid bin Saleh Al Sultan, President of the King Abdullah Atomic and Renewable Energy City (KACARE),  in an interview with Emirates News Agency, WAM.

These targets are part of the KSA Vision 2030 and the National Transformation 2020 Programme, said Dr Khalid.

The country had brought down the 50% target for renewable energy share in its total energy mix from 50% to 10% by 2023, back in 2016. It meant a renewable energy target of 9.5 GW by 2023 (see Saudi Arabia Slashes Renewables Target).

In March 2018, Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Japan's SoftBank to develop 200 GW solar power capacity in the kingdom by 2030, with 7.2 GW in first phase to be launched by 2019 (see 200 GW PV Capacity In Saudi Arabia). Since then, apart from the country's Public Investment Fund (PIF) vehemently refuting Wall Street Journal reporting about the project being on hold, no notable progress has been reported on the project (see Saudi Arabia Says 200 GW PV Project Very Much On).

Bloomberg reported in November 2018 about SoftBank planning to invest $1.2 billion to develop a 1.8 GW solar power plant in Saudi Arabia as a pilot project and was in preliminary talks with banks and developers to gauge interest in the project (see SoftBank Planning 1.8 GW PV Park In Saudi Arabia?).