Saudi Arabia Begins Using Small-Scale Solar PV Systems to Generate Electricity

Saudi Arabia begins using small-scale solar PV systems to generate electricity. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia begins using small-scale solar PV systems to generate electricity. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
TT
20

Saudi Arabia Begins Using Small-Scale Solar PV Systems to Generate Electricity

Saudi Arabia begins using small-scale solar PV systems to generate electricity. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi Arabia begins using small-scale solar PV systems to generate electricity. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are ready to generate electricity for houses and enterprises, to be later connected to Saudi Arabia’s grid, announced the Saudi Ministry of Energy on Tuesday.

The systems will help provide renewable energy and enhance local content usage, in addition to encouraging Saudization in several energy fields, in line with Saudi Vision 2030, it said in a statement.

Qualified companies and contractors, which will be responsible for installing and connecting these systems to the country’s grid, will be shortlisted according to specific criteria, it explained.

“The qualification process will compromise several phases, including general assessment of bidders, technical assessment of proposals, approval of bidding proposals and then the announcement of the qualified bidders.”

The project participants are the Ministry of Energy, the Electricity Cogeneration Regulatory Authority (ECRA), Ministry of Municipality and Rural Affairs (MoMRA), Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Commerce and Investment (MOCI), King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) and Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO).

Meanwhile, ECRA announced the launch of the “Shamsi” portal for the PV system.

The new portal informs consumers of the economic feasibility and estimated costs of installing a solar energy system in a home or business before connecting it to the public electrical network, ECRA said in a statement.

The Shamsi portal provides consumers with an easy-to-use e-calculator that helps in analyzing the financial and technical aspects of the estimated installation cost, and provides various other support services.

“It also allows the qualified consultant to conduct an economic feasibility study of installing the solar energy system,” the statement added.

The e-calculator provides a detailed cost estimate, estimated revenues and savings based on the solar power generated, applicant’s consumption rates, and payback period, it explained.

The authority said the small-scale solar PV systems will have a capacity of no more than two megawatts and are connected in parallel with the distribution system of the electrical service provider.

The SASO, for its part, commenced implementing the requirements of technical regulations for PV systems on Tuesday.



Saudi-GCC Non-Oil Trade Surplus Achieves 203% Annual Growth

An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters)
An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters)
TT
20

Saudi-GCC Non-Oil Trade Surplus Achieves 203% Annual Growth

An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters)
An oil tanker is being loaded at Saudi Aramco's Ras Tanura oil refinery and oil terminal in Saudi Arabia May 21, 2018. (Reuters)

The non-oil trade surplus of Saudi Arabia with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries recorded an annual growth rate of 203.2% to more than SAR2 billion in April, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Friday. It soared to around SAR3,511 million from SAR1,158 million in the same month last year.

According to preliminary data from the International Trade Bulletin for April, published by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the total volume of non-oil trade, including re-exports, between Saudi Arabia and GCC countries amounted to around SAR18,028 million. This reflects a year-on-year growth of 41.3%, with an increase of SAR5,271 million from SAR12,757 million in April 2024.

Non-oil commodity exports, including re-exports, rose by 55%, totaling SAR10,770 million, up from SAR6,958 million in April of the previous year, an increase of over SAR3,812 million.

Meanwhile, the value of national non-oil commodity exports reached around SAR3,031 million, compared to SAR2,675 million in April 2024, achieving a year-on-year growth rate of 13.3%, with an increase estimated at SAR356 million.

Additionally, the value of re-exports surged by 81%, reaching SAR7,738 million compared to SAR4,282 million, an increase of SAR3,456 million.

Saudi Arabia’s imports from GCC countries stood at SAR7,258 million in April 2025, compared to SAR5,799 million last year, achieving a year-on-year growth of 25.2%, with an increase of SAR1,459 million.

The data indicated that the United Arab Emirates ranked first in terms of non-oil trade volume with Saudi Arabia, amounting to SAR13,533 million, representing about 75.1% of the total.

Bahrain followed in second place with a trade value of SAR1,798 million (10%), while Oman ranked third with SAR1,454 million (8.1%). Kuwait was fourth with SAR819.9 million (4.5%), and Qatar came next with a value of SAR422.1 million (2.3%).