The global challenge of the sustainability of energy supplies is increasing due to the rapid population growth and the gradual diminishing of fossil fuels. There is an accelerating effort to address this challenge through several strategies on several national and international levels. One main aim in this context is the development of a vibrant renewable energy sector to contribute to meeting our energy supply needs. This is more challenging in oil-producing countries, where availability of non-renewable energy sources affects public awareness and willingness to utilize renewable energy. However, Saudi Arabia has recently developed a pro-active approach towards diversifying its energy sources and launched several key projects in this regard. Thus, this paper discusses this issue with reference to solar energy potential in Saudi Arabia, and presents some strategic projects implemented so far in this field. The study concluded some lessons learned from these projects and recommended some actions to create further future opportunities.

Authors: Sanad Khawaja, Hasan Awad, Omar S. Asfour

Published in: World Congress on Sustainable Technologies (WCST-2021)

• Date of Conference: 7-9 December 2021
• DOI: 10.20533/WCST.2021.0008
• ISBN: 978-1-913572-41-9
• Conference Location: Virtual (London, UK)