Data from the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) put the Kingdom's renewable pipeline at 63.8 GW across 53 projects, with operational capacity up to 19.3 GW, 63 times the 2020 level. Solar makes up 81% of the portfolio, and eight projects totalling 7.7 GW are due for completion in 2026.
The Ministry of Energy announced that 13 clean-energy projects totalling 10,500 MW came online in 2026: 7,000 MW of solar and wind plus 3,500 MW of batteries storing 14,000 MWh, taking grid-connected capacity to 24,800 MW. The largest plants are Haden and Muwayh in Makkah region at 2,000 MW each and Khushaybi in Qassim at 1,500 MW.
SPPC signed storage service agreements for four independent battery projects totalling 2,000 MW with four-hour duration, or 8,000 MWh, an investment of more than $1.16 billion. The sites are Muwayh and Haden in Makkah region, Al Kahfah in Hail region and Khushaybi in Qassim, under 15-year agreements, as the first step towards 48 GWh of storage by 2030.
Riyadh Cement Company plans a 30 MW solar installation to supply its plant, next to a 12.6 MW waste-heat recovery system being built with Sinoma and expected to be fully operational in the second half of 2026, with the aim of lowering electricity consumption and operating costs. An example of factories generating part of their own power.
Elsewedy Electric announced the completion of a 349 MWp photovoltaic project in Saudi Arabia, a sign that large grid-scale plants keep being delivered alongside the distributed systems built for farms and facilities.