Solar power remains the leading non-hydropower renewable source in MENA

Countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia have promoted programmes to boost solar power.

Solar energy has been estimated to be the foremost non-hydropower renewables source in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, according to BMI.

The region sees further growth from more green hydrogen projects and rooftop solar initiatives being put under consideration and construction.

Several projects expected to use solar power for green hydrogen productions include the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project in Saudi Arabia with 4 GW of solar and wind, Dubai’s Green Hydrogen Project connected to the 5 GW Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, and Morocco’s 8GW green hydrogen project with 7 GW of solar and 10 GW of wind.

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Additionally, governments have implemented rooftop solar schemes and incentives for further adoption of solar energy among residential, commercial, and industrial users.

United Arab Emirates has signed the incentive scheme, “Shams Dubai” programme, allowing customers to install photovoltaic (PV) panels and connect them to the grid.

Egypt has implemented several initiatives, feed-in tariffs and net metering schemes for rooftop solar installations. Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) also promoted a net metering scheme for small-scale solar producers.