The need for global low carbon energy management is becoming essential for protection of the environment and maintaining a sustainable development for our and future generations. This research illustrates the current role of low carbon energy management in Saudi Arabia and assesses the solar energy technologies and use in Saudi Arabia, and represents the related environmental, social, and economic advantages, and disadvantages. Also, the research will illustrate the barriers to low carbon energy generation uptake in Saudi Arabia, and the role of legislation and policy.
The 2021 World Energy Trilemma Index, which is measuring the performance of the countries’ ability to provide sustainable energy, is represented in the following figure for Saudi Arabia. The figure illustrates that Saudi Arabia’s environmental sustainability performance 48.2/100 and the energy security performance 59.1/100 are low (worldenergy, 2021).
By 2017, Saudi Arabia generated only 0.1% of its total electricity generating capacity of 330.5 terawatt-hours (TWh) from solar, while 59.6% came from natural gas, and 40.3% from oil, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s 2017 report on the kingdom (Saiyid, 2021).
The country is challenged to improve its progress by developing the use of more sustainable and secure energy resources and technologies, as the country is pledged to accomplishes half of its energy production from renewable energy, and half from natural gas by 2030 (Al-Bahkali, 2021). Also, at the recent inaugural Saudi Green Initiative Forum, and the recent COP26 conference in Glasgow, Saudi Arabia announced its net-zero carbon emissions commitment (Al-Bahkali, 2021). Furthermore, Saudi projects are challenged to establish Net Zero Carbon (NZC), to have a zero Carbon footprint and avoid carbon emission where possible by using renewable energy sources and offset their carbon emissions. Also, Saudi Arabia are challenged to follow the International best practice set by the Paris Climate Accord (BuroHappoldEngineering, 2019).
The Saudi Ministry of Energy is leading National Renewable Energy Program for the development of renewable energies, mostly solar and wind (ALUWAISHEG, 2020).
Saudi Arabia is reducing the carbon emissions by implementing energy efficiency programs, developing carbon capture technology, increasing public transportation, and growing its renewable energy capacity. In this research, we will discover the Saudi progress on improving its renewable, solar, energy capacity.
Saudi Arabia has a vast area and sunny climate, therefore is has a clear comparative advantage in harnessing solar energy. However, this potential still has not been used meaningfully.
A research in 2014 in King Saud University represented that most of the country lies in the sun belt, concluding the within few years, solar energy could become a major contributor to the country’s energy mix.
Solar energy has many advantages, as represented in the following list:
In 2010, a solar energy research station has been established in Riyadh by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology. The research station is established to produce solar panels and cells. The project is aiming to localise solar photovoltaic systems, improve solar panels quality, and encouraging private sector investments in solar technologies. The research station is challenged to find solutions for any related barriers for solar panels and cells applications. For example, improve efficiency of solar panels, as according to the qualitative Reasoning Group with Northwestern University, usually only 14% is converted to power from the solar panels’ available energy (Sawrey, 2016). Also, solar panels can lead to some environmental pollutions and impacts if applied unproperly, such as land use pollution, habitat loss, and related pollution during the use of hazardous materials during manufacturing. Also, the research station is challenged to reduce the expensive energy storage and the high initial costs. Also, the power generated by solar panels does not last forever. The life span is around 25 to 30 years, therefore economical factors should be concerned to reach a profitable and sustainable results.
The first solar energy plant in Saudi Arabia is the Sakaka Solar Power Plant in AlJawf city. The plant is using photovoltaic technology (PV) for electricity generation. The plant is going to sell electricity to independent power producers through agreements for around 25 years. The plant is large, as it consists of 1.2 million solar panels in a 6 kilo meters square area. The project reached the lowest cost world widely for electricity generation in the photovoltaic sector, which amounted to 0.018 GBP/kWh (vision2030, 2021). The objective of the project is to improve national job competencies, reach 606 thousand ton reduction in carbon emissions per year, achieve 300 mega wat electricity production capacity, and 44 thousand house powered (vision2030, 2021). The project will contribute for preserving the environment by reducing the greenhouse gas emissions, liquid fuel displacement, increase power generation sources diversity, and formalizing the core features of the circular carbon economy (vision2030, 2021).
Not only for electricity production, Solar power is planned to be used also for water desalination in Saudi Arabia. Water Desalination Project Using Solar Power is one of the projects that is planning to contribute for water sustainability in Saudi Arabia. The solar power plant provides 10 mega wat of electricity per day to operate ALKhafji desalination plant that produces 60,000-meter cubic clen water per day. The project is aiming to become a global leader in powered water desalination, reduce oil resources demand reduce water desalination cost, and improve air quality by reducing harmful emissions.
Finally, it is clear that the country is making a high progress to improve its sustainability development by improving the solar power technologies and plants to generate electricity in a matter that eliminate carbon emissions. Saudi Arabia is working to become a leader in solar energy technologies and applications, which is leading for many environmental, economic, and social advantages for the country.
References:
Al-Bahkali, H., 2021. Saudi Arabia’s digital ambitions are key to low-carbon future. Arab News.
ALUWAISHEG, A., 2020. The benefits of Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy push. ARAB NEWS.
BuroHappoldEngineering, 2019. The Triple bay 100% Detailed Master Plan (DMP), s.l.: s.n.
Saiyid, A., 2021. Saudi Arabia recommits to 50% renewable power, cleanenergynews: s.n.
Sawrey, G., 2016. The Disadvantages Of Solar Energy (Cons): Cons Of Solar Panels & Solar Power. [Online]
Available at: https://ecavo.com/solar-energy-disadvantages/
vision2030, 2021. Sakaka Solar Power Plant. [Online]
Available at: https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/v2030/v2030-projects/sakaka-solar-power-plant/
worldenergy, 2021. Saudi Arabia Profile.