Saudi Arabia Launches Third Round Of National Renewable Energy Program

Saudi Arabia has launched the third round of its national program to build up solar power generation capacity in the Kingdom.

The Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) of the Ministry of Energy has issued the request for qualifications (RFQ) for Round Three of the Kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said on Thursday.

The new phase comprises of four solar photovoltaic (PV) projects with a combined generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW). The RFQ window for round three closes on February 6, 2020.

The statement said the third round would be divided into two categories – Category A targets smaller companies, and includes the 80 MW Layla and the 120 MW Wadi Al Dawaser solar PV projects while Category B includes the 300 MW Saad and 700 MW Ar Rass solar PV projects.

Projects within round three will carry a minimum requirement of 17 percent local content in order to increase the value-added contribution of products and services in the national economy, the statement quoted REPDO head Faisal Alyemni as saying.

In 2017, REPDO had tendered the first round which included the 300 MW Sakaka solar PV and the 400 MW Dumat Al Jandal wind power projects.

In July 2019, REPDO launched Round Two of the NREP which comprised of six solar PV projects totaling 1,470 MW. The deadline for receiving proposals is 20 January for Round Two projects and 3 February for Categories B and A.