The largest photovoltaic (PV) project in the Middle East — the 2.6-gigawatt Al Shuaibah PV Power Plant in Saudi Arabia — was officially connected to the grid on January 15.
Built by China Energy Engineering Group Co., Ltd (Energy China), the project is a significant milestone in Saudi Arabia’s energy transition plan.
Located approximately 80 kilometers south of Jeddah, the project spans an area of about 53 square kilometers and comprises two sub-projects: ASB1 (600 megawatt) and ASB2 (2,000 megawatt). With an alternating current capacity of 2.6 GW and a direct current capacity of 3.19 GW, the plant is expected to generate approximately 282.2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity over the next 35 years.
It will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 245 million tons — equivalent to planting 545 million trees in the desert — contributing significantly to Saudi Arabia’s energy transition and sustainable development goals.
The Al Shuaibah PV Power Plant employs cutting-edge N-type bifacial photovoltaic modules and single-axis tracking systems, which maximize solar energy absorption by automatically adjusting the angle of the panels to follow the sun’s position. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The Al Shuaibah PV Power Plant employs cutting-edge N-type bifacial photovoltaic modules and single-axis tracking systems, which maximize solar energy absorption by automatically adjusting the angle of the panels to follow the sun’s position. The facility integrates advanced digital and intelligent technologies, enabling fully automated operation upon completion. All key equipment, including PV modules, inverters and robotic cleaning systems, was sourced from China.
The project team achieved remarkable progress by installing over 810,000 piles and more than 5 million PV panels in less than eight months. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
The project team achieved remarkable progress by installing over 810,000 piles and more than 5 million PV panels in less than eight months. Behind this efficient delivery was a highly internationalized team, with management professionals from over 10 countries and key roles in quality control, safety, design and human resources held by foreign experts.
As a global benchmark in renewable energy, the Al Shuaibah PV Power Plant has achieved nearly 16 million safe work hours and was awarded the 2024 Gold Fleet Safety Award by the UK’s Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.
(Executive editor: Zhu Zeya)
