Largest solar power project in the Middle East commenced commercial operation last month.
In the desert located 80 kilometers south of Jeddah City in southwestern Saudi Arabia, the largest photovoltaic project in the Middle East — Al Shuaibah 2.6 gigawatt (GW; 1 GW = 1,000 MW) solar power plant constructed by China Energy Engineering Group — commenced commercial operations in late February 2025. The project covers an area of 52.54 square kilometers, approximately equivalent to 7,500 standard football fields.
In 2024, Saudi Arabia stood as the largest importer of Chinese photovoltaic modules in the Middle East, totaling 16.55 gigawatts. This reflects a 115% increase year-on-year, accounting for 60% of the Middle East’s import volume. Globally, Saudi Arabia has risen to become the fourth-largest country in terms of the export value of Chinese photovoltaic modules.
According to the latest data from the Chinese Wind Energy Association under the China Renewable Energy Society, China’s new wind turbine export capacity hit a record high, with Saudi Arabia becoming its largest export market. Chinese turbines were exported to Saudi Arabia for the first time in 2023, totaling 273 megawatts (MW), but this figure increased by 185% to reach 780 MW in 2024. Saudi Arabia, traditionally China’s largest crude oil supplier, is now turning into a major buyer of Chinese new energy equipment.
Source: Caixin Weekly, Mar 22, 2025.
China Environment News 