Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's wind energy journey is marked by flagship installations and growing project pipelines under its renewable energy agenda. Under Saudi Vision 2030, the kingdom has set a target of 50% renewables by 2030, with a specific target of 16 GW of wind energy capacity. The Kingdom's first utility-scale wind farm, Dumat al-Jandal, is its only operational wind project, with 400 MW of installed capacity.

A rapidly expanding pipeline

The pipeline of new wind and renewable projects is expanding rapidly. As part of Saudi Arabia's National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), significant deals signed in 2025 will see the development of seven utility-scale renewable plants totalling 15 GW of capacity. This includes 3 GW of wind energy at two projects: Starah (2 GW) and Shaqrah (1 GW), both in the Riyadh region, supplied by Goldwind turbines. These Price Discovery Scheme agreements, led by a consortium of Saudi entities and ACWA, the Public Investment Fund's (PIF) Water and Electricity Holding Company (Badeel), and Saudi Aramco Power Company (SAPCO), have reached financial close and are expected to come online between 2027 and 2028. It remains to be seen how the 2026 conflict in the Middle East will impact the timelines for these projects.

Workforce challenges remain one of the biggest concerns in Saudi's renewable energy future. Scaling up wind deployment will require accelerated training and workforce development to ensure a pipeline of skilled engineers, technicians and project managers. Building local capabilities will be essential for sustaining the fast pace of deployment and realising Saudi Arabia's ambitions.