Could a power purchase agreement make large-scale solar projects viable in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi scientists have determined the current price threshold for power purchase agreements (PPA) that could make large-scale PV and wind power projects viable in Saudi Arabia. They incorporated data from the 300 MW Sakaka solar farm and four potential utility-scale PV project sites.

Is solar energy the cheapest source of electricity in Saudi Arabia?

The Saudi government is set to raise electricity prices to market levels by the mid 2020’s. At the commercial and industrial scale, solar energy is now the cheapest source of power for most on-grid and off-grid energy consumers. FOR YOU? The Haala Process consists of 5 stages of planning and execution. US DIFFERENT? We specialise in solar PV.

Where should solar farms be located in Saudi Arabia?

They said this facilitated the identification of four “optimal” locations for large-scale solar farms in Tabuk, Al Madinah, Makkah, and Riyadh provinces, as well as other suitable locations for wind power in Al Madinah, Makkah, Riyadh, and Eastern provinces.

How much does a solar PV plant cost?

“The Sakaka solar PV plant operates under a 25-year PPA with an electricity price of $23.40/MWh, while the Dumat Al Jandal wind farm has a 20-year PPA with an electricity price of $21.30/MWh,” the researchers said, acknowledging that technical and financial details for the plants are not fully available.

How much NPV should a solar project cost?

They said that to achieve zero NPV values, the other identified sites for solar deployment should host projects requiring PPA prices ranging from $26.10/MWh to $29.30/MWh.

Are solar PV-wind technologies economically feasible in South Africa?

“Sensitivity analysis of PPA rates indicated that solar PV, wind energy, and hybrid solar PV-wind technologies are economically feasible in SA at PPA rates above $32.8/MWh, $26.1/MWh, and $50.6/MWh, respectively,” they concluded.