Renewable Energy Potentials in Saudi Arabia

"This paper addresses the current status and the future potentials of renewable energy applications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The power in the earth's wind and in the solar radiation, which reaches the earth, is sufficient to make significant as well as strategic contributions to the Kingdom energy supply. Applications of solar energy in Saudi Arabia have been growing since 1960. However, effective utilization of solar energy in Saudi Arabia has not yet made reasonable progress mainly due to several obstacles. But, valuable lessons have been learned and a wealth of experience has been gained from the Kingdom experience. The technical and economic feasibility of wind energy utilization in the Kingdom has not yet fully explored. Several studies were conducted to assess the potential of wind energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The wind map of Saudi Arabia indicates that the Kingdom is characterized by the existence of two vast windy regions along the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea coastal areas. The mean annual wind speed in these two windy regions exceeds 9 knots (16.7 kmph) and ranges from about 14 to 22 kmph and 16 to 19 kmph over the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea coastal areas, respectively."