Saudi Arabia announces plans for 200 GW solar power plant

• 6 years ago (2018-04-05)
• David Flin

Middle East 310 Solar 243

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Saudi Arabia has announced ambitious plans to build a 200 GW solar power plant. The plant would be 200 times larger than any solar farm currently operating, and it is reported to be 100 times larger than any other solar project currently planned.

The project is backed by the Japanese tech investor Softbank, and the initiative will require a $200 billion investment in order to be completed by 2030. The solar farm would nearly triple the current solar generation capacity of Saudi Arabia, which currently stands at 77 GW.

According to reports, the solar farm would cover an estimated 5000 square km if completed.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is backing the project, stating that it will help free his country from its dependency on oil. He said that a solar power plant of this magnitude would not only help to facilitate Saudi Arabia’s transition from oil-fired power plants to renewable energy, it would also create an excess of oil that could be sold to other countries.