Tender requirements have been published for four solar projects in Saudi Arabia (totaling 3.7 GW) as part of the fifth round of the Saudi Arabian government’s National Renewable Energy Tender Program (NREP).

According to news sources, the four projects include the 2 GW Al Sadawi plant in the east of the country and the 1 GW (AC) Al Masa project in the northern province of Hail, as well as the 400 MW (AC) Al Henakiyah in the western province of Madinah. Phase II plant and the 300 MW (AC) Rabigh II array in western Makkah province.

SPPC stated in the announcement that the project will be supervised by it. SPPC is the state-owned enterprise responsible for purchasing electricity from independent power producers and will be responsible for the early development, tendering and subsequent "offtake" of energy.

These projects account for a quarter of the total energy capacity tendered (12.6 GW) as part of NREP's renewable energy programme. According to its website, NREP aims to "maximize" the country's renewable energy potential. Saudi Arabia's main solar lobby group says the government aims to produce 27.5 GW of renewable energy by 2030. By the end of last year, the country was estimated to have achieved 390 MW of installed capacity, a significant leap from the country's current installed capacity, according to the International Renewable Energy Association.