Renewable Energy Potentials in Saudi Arabia

S. A. M. Said, I. M. El-Amin and A.M. Al-Shehri King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals Dhahran Saudi Arabia ABSTRACT: This paper addresses the current status and the future potentials of renewable energy applications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The power in the earth's wind and in the solar radiation, which reaches the earth, is sufficient to make significant as well as strategic contributions to the Kingdom energy supply. Applications of solar energy in Saudi Arabia have been growing since 1960. However, effective utilization of solar energy in Saudi Arabia has not yet made reasonable progress mainly due to several obstacles. But, valuable lessons have been learned and a wealth of experience has been gained from the Kingdom experience. The technical and economic feasibility of wind energy utilization in the Kingdom has not yet fully explored. Several studies were conducted to assess the potential of wind energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The wind map of Saudi Arabia indicates that the Kingdom is characterized by the existence of two vast windy regions along the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea coastal areas. The mean annual wind speed in these two windy regions exceeds 9 knots (16.7 kmph) and ranges from about 14 to 22 kmph and 16 to 19 kmph over the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea coastal areas, respectively INTRODUCTION: Saudi Arabia is a large country with an area of 2.3 million km2. It is a relatively rich and rapidly developing country and so demand for electricity is growing on average at around 5% annually. Over the next 25 years, it is estimated that US$117 billion will be invested in the countrys power sector. The state power grid system has supplied electricity to approximately 80% of the population living in the state capitals and industrial centers. It is highly uneconomical to extend the electrical power grid system into the sparsely populated regions of the Kingdom. Hence there are many small remote communities that need an independent source of electrical energy. These locations represent a significant potential for renewable energy applications. The importance of using renewable energy in Saudi Arabia will not only be confined to meeting the demands of remote sites, but can also contribute to the national grid, helping to meet the peak-load demand during the summer months. Even though Saudi Arabia is a leading oil producer, it is keenly interested in taking an active part in the development of new technologies for exploiting and utilizing renewable sources of energy. The most natural renewable energy sources which are freely available are wind and solar. The power in the earth's wind and in the solar radiation, which reaches the earth, is sufficient to make significant as well as strategic contributions to the Kingdom energy supply. WIND ENERGY: Wind energy conversion is recognized as one of the most promising option of the renewable energy. The major challenge to using wind as a source of power is that it is intermittent, cannot be stored (unless batteries are used); and not all winds can be harnessed to meet the timing of energy demands. Further, good wind sites are often located in remote locations far from areas of electric power demand such as cities.

The interest and motivation for harnessing wind power have grown tremendously during the nineteen-eighties in many developed countries as a result of frequent energy crises and persistent issues of environmental pollution [1]. Recently wind energy has attracted a great deal of attention as one of the possible alternative renewable energy sources. By the end of 1998 the global installed capacity of modern grid-connected wind turbines was some 10000 MW and the growth rates of installation worldwide were 30% - 40% annually. The cost of wind energy was reduced by 30% between 1991 and 1997. Andersen and Jensen [2] reviewed the reasons behind the success of wind turbines and outlined the future potentials for wind energy technology. Also, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) [3], the total worldwide wind electric generating capacity has surged past 10,000 megawatts (MW). Worldwide, wind energy capacity has expanded at an annual rate of 25.7% during the 1990s, with the total doubling every three years and the cost of production declining steadily. The cost of electricity from wind generation is about onesixth what it was in the early 1980s and further reductions is expected over the next decade. Industry analysts see the cost dropping by an additional 20 percent to 40 percent by 2005. The French Ministry of Industry, Electricity de France and ADEME (Agency for Environment and Energy Management) have launched French wind generation program EOLE 2005 in July 1996 to develop 250-500 MW of wind power by the year 2007 [4]. Wind energy activities in Japan have been summarized by Ushiyama [5]. The activities include development of a 500 KW wind machine, which has been in operation since 1996. The total installed capacity for power supply reached 8800 KW in 1997. Wind energy activities in China have been summarized by Junfeng and Zhuli [6]. There are 19 wind farms in China, the largest of which is located in Xinjiang with 10 MW total capacities. The total installed capacity of wind power reached 16 MW by the end of 1997. Presently, wind energy continues to be the fastest growing renewable energy source with worldwide wind power installed capacity reaching 14000 MW. Five nations Germany, USA, Denmark, Spain and India account for 80% of the worlds installed wind energy capacity. Realizing the growing importance of wind energy, manufacturers have steadily been developing new techniques to assess wind resources for techno-economical viability. WIND ENERGY DATA Wind speed data is available from different sources in the Kingdom. Among these are the Meteorology and Environment Protection administration (MEPA) [8], Saudi Aramco [9] and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals(KFUPM) [ 10 ]. In 1995 the Energy Research Institute (ERI) at King Abdel-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) initiated a project in order to record reliable data and to assess the wind potential in Saudi Arabia. Five locations, namely, Abha, Arar, Dhahran, Solar Village and Yanbu, were selected for this purpose (namely Abha, Arar, Dhahran, Solar Village and Yanbu) as a first developmental stage of the project. The installation of monitoring and assessment equipment at those sites has been completed and data collection is still in progress. Several studies were conducted to assess the potential of wind energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Wind data for seven stations in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia have been analyzed. The derived monthly and annual average wind speeds range from 2.4 to

6.1 m s-1 and from 3.2 to 5.3 m s -1, respectively. Maximum extractable monthly and annual average wind powers were found to vary between 14.2 and 162.5 W m -2, 31.7 and 94.6 W m-2, respectively [11]. Wind data for 20 locations in Saudi Arabia have been analyzed [12]. Monthly and annual mean wind speeds and wind powers have been determined. The latter range from 25 to 44 m s-1, and from 218 to 777 W m-2, respectively. Results suggest that wind power would be more profitably used for local and small-scale applications. The characteristics of wind regimes and the availability of wind energy resources in Makkah, its outskirts and selected sites on the eastern and western coasts of the Red Sea have been studied [13]. Statistical analysis of the wind speeds involving fitting of observed cumulative distribution to Weibull distribution function by least square technique, determination of the Weibull parameters and evaluation of wind power density by two methods, was carried out. The mean annual wind energy density at 10 m A.G.L. lies between 250 and 500 kWh/m2 on the Red Sea coast sites and drops to about 50 kWh/m2 in inland areas. Yanbu on the east coast has the highest resource while Makkah, affected by the Sarawat Mountains, has the lowest wind energy density. The solar energy in all these areas is abundant. In Makkah and Port Sudan the mean annual solar energy density exceeds 2.0 MWh/m2. Hourly wind -speed data recorded at automatic solar radiation and meteorological monitoring station, Dhahran (26 32' N, 50 13' E), Saudi Arabia has been analyzed to determine monthly wind power [14]. The wind power is then compared with the monthly mean solar radiation energies for the period 19871990. The monthly average wind speeds for Dhahran range from 4.46 to 6.89 m/s while the solar radiation varies from 3.46 to 7.43 kWh/m2/day. The annual maximum attainable wind power potential per unit area of the wind stream is 543 kWh/m2/year and the annual solar potential per unit area of the earth surface is 2.03 MWhr/m2/year. Hourly mean wind -speed data for the period 19861993 [except the years 1989 (some data is missing) and 1991 (Gulf War)] was recorded at the solar radiation and meteorological monitoring station, Dhahran (26 32' N, 50 13' E), Saudi Arabia [15]. The monthly average wind speeds for Dhahran ranged from 4.21 to 6.97 m/s. The wind power on the east coast of Saudi Arabia has been assessed [16]. A comparison between the wind and solar power showed that the mean attainable wind power is 70.6 W/m2, while the mean attainable solar power is 500 W/m2. However, the mean producible wind power is about 50 W/m2using Cp = 0.42, while the mean producible solar power through photovoltaic cells is 90 W/m2 (using 18% efficiency). The availability of wind power in this area is 55% while the availability of solar power is 39%. The use of shrouded walls to improve the performance of WEC is feasible due to the narrow band wind direction, (280 to 30). WIND ENERGY APPLICATIONS: The wind map of Saudi Arabia indicates that the Kingdom is characterized by the existence of two vast windy regions along the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea coastal areas [17]. The mean annual wind speed in these two windy regions exceeds 9 knots (16.7 kmph) and ranges from about 14 to 22 kmph and 16 to 19 kmph over the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea coastal areas, respectively. The application of wind energy in Saudi Arabia is nil except the recent installations by KACST as part of a feasibility study of wind energy utilization in Saudi Arabia [17]. Four sample sites are selected for possible installation of both small and large wind energy conversion systems. These sites are:

Yenbo and Al-Wajh on the Red Sea coast, Dhahran on the Arabian Gulf coast and Quaisumah in the north east of the Kingdom. Using the manufacturers pre-mass production unit capital costs ($/kW) to estimate the cost of electricity produced, in cents/kWh, it is concluded that further reduction in the manufacturers unit capital cost is still required to enable wind energy to compete with other conventional energy sources. SOLAR ENERGY: Recognizing the sun as a major natural resource with which Saudi Arabia is blessed in abundant measure (2200 thermal kilowatt hours (kWh) per square meter) it is believed that solar energy is a valuable and renewable energy source that should be fully exploited for the benefit of the country. SOLAR ENERGY DATA Solar radiation data is available from different sources in the Kingdom. Among these are the Meteorology and Environment Protection administration (MEPA) [8], Saudi Aramco [9] and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) [10]. Reliable quantitative data on the daily and annual distribution pattern of solar energy at given locations are essential not only for assessing the economic feasibility of solar energy utilization, but also for the thermal design and environmental control of buildings and greenhouses. It has been found that the existing Saudi Solar Radiation Atlas does not cover all the parts of the country. Additionally, it does not contain the reliable information that is required for solar-energy applications, as it is based on the data collected by old and uncalibrated instruments; and the magnitude of global solar radiation has changed due to global weather variations and the environmental impacts of the Gulf War. In view of the importance of the need for exact measurements of solar radiation, the Saudi Atlas Project was initiated in 1994, as a joint R&D project between the ERI and the NREL. Twelve locations in the following cities throughout the country were carefully selected: Riyadh, Gassim, Al-Ahsa, Al-Jouf, Tabuk, Madinah, Jeddah, Qaisumah, Wadi Al Dawasir, Sharurah, Abha, and Gizan. All of these stations are connected to a central unit for data collection and all the instruments are calibrated on a regular basis (at 6 month periods) in order to derive reliable and accurate data. To promote further dissemination, the analyzed data is made available on an Internet site. SOLAR ENERGY APPLICATIONS: Applications of solar energy in Saudi Arabia have been growing since 1960 [18]. Research activities commenced with small-scale university projects during 1969, and systematized major R&D work for the development of solar energy technologies was started by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in 1977. For the last two decades the Energy Research Institute (ER!) at KACST has conducted major research, development and demonstration (RD&D) work in this field. The ERI has a number of international joint programs in the field of solar energy including SOLERAS with the United States of America, and HYSOLAR with the Federal Republic of Germany. These joint programs were directed towards projects that were of mutual interest to the committed countries involved and concentrated on large demonstration projects such as electricity generation, water desalination, agricultural applications, and cooling systems. Major solar energy RD&D projects executed by the ERI are listed in Table 2. A brief description of these projects and their associated technical accomplishments are reported by Huraib et al [18] and Alawaji [19]. The solar-energy

RD&D activities throughout Saudi Arabia have confirmed that it has a multitude of practical uses. These include lighting, cooling, water heating, crop/fruit drying, water desalination, the operation of irrigation pumps, and the operation of meteorological stations, and in providing road and tunnel lighting, traffic lights, road instruction signals and for small applications at remote sites [19]. However, effective utilization of solar energy in Saudi Arabia has not yet made reasonable progress mainly due to several obstacles, some of which are listed as follows [19]: 1 i) The wide availability of oil, its superiority to solar energy as a source of energy and its relatively low cost 2 3 ii) The dust effect, which in some parts can reduce solar energy by 1020%. iii) The availability of governmental subsidies for oil and electricity generation and non-availability of similar subsidies for solar energy programs. If such subsidies must continue then solar energy will require incentive programs.

HYBRID SYSTEM: The variations in resource availability and end-use suitability tend to limit any particular single renewable technology to specific locations and uses. The solution that is increasingly being favored as the best means of providing decentralized power with high reliability is the hybrid system. Hybrid systems do not rely on a single energy source, but two, three or even four potential sources. For economical reasons there is typically only two, but all hybrid systems will normally include a diesel generator set. The required electrical energy for rural electrification can be met using one or a combination of options that include wind, solar or hybrid (solar & wind) conversion systems beside the diesel and grid extension. The selection of one or more of these options depends mainly on the available energy, the performance of conversion system and the characteristics of the electrical load. It also depends on the capital and operational costs of each option. The maintenance requirement and the availability of the required support are also important parameters to be considered in the selection of the suitable options. Very few studies [15] are conducted on the feasibility of utilizing hybrid systems in meeting power demand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This is a potential area that needs to be explored more. CONCLUSION: The experience gained in the field of renewable energy R&D in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the last two decades has been in the field of solar energy and has been very valuable. The international joint programs have assisted in the establishment of a series of independent RD&D projects on solar energy by the ERI, and several other users throughout the country. The following can be concluded in this regard: 1 1. Valuable lessons have been learned from the Kingdom experience in the field of solar energy, which are believed to be very useful to other countries with similar climatic conditions, as well as to the scientific community in general. 2. A wealth of experience has been gained in the assessment, instrumentation, calibration, data collection, monitoring and analysis of solar energy projects.

3. Low and medium solar thermal energy applications in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are technically and economically feasible and should be encouraged and supported by the government. 4. The feasibility of wind energy utilization in the Kingdom has not yet fully explored. Experience in this regard will be gained from the installations by KACST. 5. More feasibility studies have to be conducted in the field of hybrid systems. 6. In developing countries efforts should be directed to finding applications of those renewable systems that have already been developed in industrialized nations. 7. Effective utilization of renewable energy systems requires government subsides. 8. Interaction between regional renewable research centers and local research centers and industries must be promoted. 9. Awareness among the public about the use and importance of utilization of renewable energy has to be increased.

4 5 6 7 8 9

10 10. Renewable energy education and training programs must be incorporated as part of educational programs. ACKNOWLEGEMENT The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in supporting this study. REFERENCES [1] Habali, S.M., Amr, M., Saleh, I. And Taani, R., 2001, Wind as an Alternative Source of Energy in Jordan, Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 42, no. 3, pp. 339-357. [2] Andersen, P.D. and Jensen, P.H., 2000, Wind Energy Today and in the 21st Century, International Journal of Global Energy Issues, Vol. 13, no. 1, pp. 145-158. [3] World Wind Capacity Tops 10,000-Megawatt Mark, Press release by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) and European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) on April 22, 1999 [4] Laali, A. R. and Benard, M., 1998, French Wind Power Program EOLE-2005 Results of the First Call for Tenders, World Renewable Energy Congress V, 20 25 September 1998, Florence, Italy, pp. 805 810. [5] Ushiyama, O., 1998, Wind Energy Activities in Japan, World Renewable Energy Congress V, 20 25 September, Florence, Italy, pp. 811 816. [6] Junfeng, L. and Zhuli, F., 1998, Wind Power Commercialization Development in China, World Renewable Energy Congress V, 20 25 September 1998, Florence, Italy, pp. 817 821. [7] Wind Energy the Facts, Volume 1 Technology Appendix, 1999, European Commission Directorate-General for Energy. [8] The Meteorology and Environmental Protection Administration (MEPA) Weather Tapes. Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. [9] Saudi Aramco Weather Stations. Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.

[10] King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM) Research Institute Weather Station.Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. [11] Ph. Martin and H. Bakhsh " Wind power characteristics of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia" Solar & Wind Technology" Vol. 2, No. 3-4, 1985, pp. 20-203. [12] Ph. Martin " Wind power potential of Saudi Arabia" Solar & Wind Technology, Vol. 2, NO. 3-4, 1985, pp. 139-142/ [13] Khogali. A., Albar. O. F., and Yousif. B. "Wind and solar energy potential in Makkah (Saudi Arabia) Comparison with Red Sea coastal sites" Renewable Energy, Vol. 1, No. 3-4, 1991, pp. 435-440. [14] Shaahid S. M. and Elhadidy, M. A. "Wind and solar energy at Dhahran, Saudi Arabia" Renewable Energy, Vol. 4, No. 4, 1994, pp. 441-445. [15] Elhadidy, M. A. and Shaahid, S. M. "Feasibility of hybrid (wind + solar) power systems for Dhahran, Saudi Arabia" Renewable Energy, Vol. 16, No. 1-4, 1999, pp. 970-976. [16] Al-Sulaiman, F. A. and Jamjoum, F. A."Applications of wind power on the East coast of Saudi Arabia" Renewable Energy, Vol. 2, No.1,1992, pp. 47-55. [17] Magdy I. Amin , El-Samanoudy, M. A. "Feasibility study of wind energy utilization in Saudi Arabia" Journal of Wind Energy and Industrial Aerodynamics, Vol. 18, No. 2, 1985, pp. 153-163. [18] Huraib F. S, S. M. Hasnain and S. H. Alawaji Lessons learned from solar energy projects in Saudi Arabia Renewable Energy Vol. 9, No. 1-4 , 1996, pp. 1144-1147. [19] Alawaji S. H. Evaluation of Solar Energy Research and its Applications in Saudi Arabia- 20 Years of Experience Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 5(2001) 59-77.
Table 2 List of solar energy project conduction by ERI, KACST [19]

Projects 350 kW PV System (2155 MWh) 350 kW PV hydrogen production plant (1.6 MWh) Solar cooling 1 kW solar hydrogen generator 2 kW solar hydrogen (50 kWh) 3 kW PV test system 4 KW PV system

Location Solar Village Solar Village Saudi Solar Village

Duration 1981-87 1987-93 1981-87 1989-93

Applications AC/DC electricity for remote areas Demonstration plant for solar hydrogen production Development of solar cooling laboratory Hydrogen production testing and measurement (laboratory scale) Testing of different electrode materials for solar hydrogen plant Demonstration of climate effects AC/De electricity for remote areas

KAU, Jeddah

1986-91

Solar Village Southern regions of Saudi Arabia

1987-90 1996

6 kW PV system Solar seawater desalination PV water desalination (0.6m3 per hour) Solar-thermal desalination PV in agriculture (4 kWph) Long-term performance of PV (3 kW) Fuel cell development (100-1000 W) Internal combustion engine (ICE) Solar radiation measurement Wind energy measurement Solar dryers Two solar-thermal dishes (50 kW) Energy management in buildings Solar collectors development Solar refrigeration

Solar Village Sadous Village Solar Village Muzahmia Solar Village Solar Village Solar Village 12 stations 5 stations Al-Hassa, Qatif Solar Village Dammam Solar Village Solar Village

1996-98 1994-99 1996-97 1996 Since 1990 19932000 1993-95 19942000 19942000 1988-93 1986-94 1988-93 1993-97 19992000

PV grid connection PV/RO interface Solar distillation of brackish water AC/Dc grid connected Performance evaluation Hydrogen utilization Hydrogen utilization Saudi solar atlas Saudi solar atlas Food dryers (dates, vegetables, etc.) Advanced solar stirling engine Energy conservation Domestic, industrial, agricultural Desert application

Saudi Arabia R&D Effort in the Field of Solar Energy

by Mr. Fahad S. Huraib

ABSTRACT The sun is one of the future most promising source of energy because its energy is renewable, clean, and available all over. Presently, solar energy is not utilized extensively because of: the high cost of the procurable solar technologies; the quality of energy acquired from solar; and other factors related to sunshine duration. The future utilization of solar is dependent on current R&D work to solve problems, reduce costs, and to determine the solar quota that is needed for partial fulfillment of the total energy needs. Saudi Arabia realized the weight of solar as a future energy source and began in the Seventies several major research and pilot plants projects whose objectives are to introduce the various application technologies, develop systems to satisfy the national needs, and to enhance the capability within the country to develop and apply the solar technology. The funding for the R&D programs are covered in two fashions. The first mode of funding is through joint international cooperation programs where the Saudi government provides half of the funds needed, while the other half is provided by advanced countries such as United States and West Germany. The second mode of financing is through employment of Saudi government funds only. The joint programs are directed towards projects that are of mutual interest to both countries and concentrated on large demonstration plants such as electric, desalination, agriculture, and cooling systems. The direct programs are oriented towards the study of the available renewable energy resources such as solar and wind, testing of new products, and to construct small demonstration projects that are characterized by simple technology and low cost. The objectives of this paper are to outline the Saudi solar energy programs and to describe their importance to fulfill the future total energy needs of the country. The paper concludes that the solar programs with the U.S. and the solar electric and hydrogen programs with West Germany proved to be useful to assess specific usage of solar energy, and to estimate the possible extent of renewable energy contribution to the future energy needs of the country. 1. INTRODUCTION The distinctive constituent in what is now designated the "development process" is an allround acceleration in the rate of change in the life fashion of present and future

generations. The process is characterized by the establishment of more activities and novel environments which are leading to new relationships both within the society and with the outside world. For Saudi Arabia, the process of development aims to accelerate the changes in three main dimensions: l. Changes that raise the public awareness and increase society's material control over the country's natural wealth, especially-the utilization of available natural resources; ll. Changes that contribute to the establishment of an economic structure which is feasible both in the sense of being able to generate new wealth and also having a longer-term capability of sustaining itself in its interaction with other economies; and lll. Changes that strength the fabric of society, increase the level of welfare, and contribute to the development of socially responsible individuals by the creation of, and continued support for cultural, educational and welfare institutions and organizations. The first dimension has been addressed to the greatest extent in several domains such as petroleum, which has been the major source of income since its discovery. Sustained development of the country requires the development of, other natural resources such as solar energy, and superior exploitation of petroleum. The second dimension requires the diversification of income resources through introducing new industries and new economic outlets. The third dimension requires the vertical and horizontal expansion of educational and cultural institution. The government of Saudi Arabia has been striving, through its consecutive development plans to carry out the cited changes through several mechanisms. One of such mechanisms is the major institution known as King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST). KACST has been abetting the country's development process through: l. Drawing the country's science and technology (S&T) policy; ll. Supporting S&T through funding research and development (R&D)projects, and through building up of S&T databases in numerous fields of S&T; lll. Regulating and enhancing the process of technology transfer by: Drawing and administering a patent law; Drafting a technology transfer law, and

Implementing joint R&D projects with foreign organizations through bilateral joint commissions for S&T cooperation; lV. Development of human resources in the field of S&T; and V. Establishing and operating specialized research institutes in the field of S&T relevant to the socioeconomic development of the country. One outstanding example of S&T progress in the Kingdom's the solar energy R&D activities at KACST. This paper will focus on reporting those activities. 2. SOLAR ENERGY IN SAUDI ARABIA Solar energy shows today many positive technical and economical signs that secures its share in the future energy market. It is a renewable, clean, and free source of energy. At present time, thousands of world-wide commercial installations are generating free and useful energy. Some of the applications proved to be very reliable and economical such as domestic hot water, and industrial process heat systems, photovoltaic (PV) electricity for rural applications and small-powered instrumentations. Other applications demonstrated either disappointing operating experiences, limited capability to provide needed energy quality, or showed to be very expensive to utilize soon, such as solar space cooling systems. Unless problems are fixed, cost is reduced, and technical limitations are resolved, solar utilization will remain muddling in the future [1]. The government of Saudi Arabia has been introducing the various solar application technologies to the public, participating Internationally in search for solutions to problems, and striving to enhance the capability of the country to develop and apply solar technology [2]. The rationales behind such extensive efforts are: The Kingdom is blessed wit more than 3000 sunshine hours, and 2000 kWh of annual failing solar energy per square meter of ground area. The solar energy technology is not complicated. Therefore, the Kingdom can contribute and benefit from the development of the technology, even with low technological resources. The abundance of low-cost utility power in the Kingdom discourages the private sector to develop or use solar energy now. This requires the Saudi Government to undertake the role of developing the solar energy technology at least, now, through its primary stages. The utilization of solar energy in Saudi Arabia began in 1 960 when a French company installed a Photovoltaic powered beacon at a small airport. The research activities commenced with small scale university projects during 1969. The first large solar project was the construction of the world's largest solar heating system for a school in the late seventies. The systematized work in solar energy research and development was not

genuinely inaugurated until King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) was established in 1977. The solar energy programs in the Kingdom address two important issues, which are common objectives to all Saudi development programs. Those issues are: l. The improvement of the material conditions of life by applying and harnessing science and technology while maintaining cultural and civilized values. ll. The development of natural and human resources in order to reduce the country's overdependence on exhaustible hydrocarbons. In dealing with both issues, the Kingdom is running a national research and development program, and mastering the state-of-art in the technology through several joint international programs. Those programs have the ambitions of developing the solar energy technology and transferring such technology to the Kingdom. Two major international agreements were signed: one, with the United States of America (SOLERAS); and the second, with the Federal Republic of Germany (HYSOLAR). The objectives, management procedures, and features of the major undertaken projects will be summarized in this paper, along with technical accomplishments. 3. JOINT PROGRAMS WITH U.S.A. One program, that is called SOLERAS (Solar Energy Research-American/Saudi), addressed solar energy technological and economical related issues. SOLERAS was established in 1975 and concluded in 1997. A second program started as of 1 989 with DOE (Department of Energy in the United States), addresses in addition to solar energy R&D, the other technologies of renewable energy. 3.1 SOLERAS In SOLERAS program, each country contributed US$50 million to the program budget. This solar research funding exceeded all expenditures by Saudi Arabia on any solar research activity and all International solar research commitment of the United States. 3.1.1 Objectives Projects included a broad scope of activities in the solar technologies such as centralized solar electric and thermal systems and decentralized applications for cooling and agriculture. Those projects were designed to support the SOLERAS program objectives: I. Cooperate in the field of solar energy for the mutual benefit of the two countries. II. Advance the development of solar energy technology. III. Facilitate the transfer of technology developed under the SOLERAS agreement.

3.1.2 Management Structure The Management Plan developed to attain the above mentioned objectives included the establishment of an eight-person Executive Board to ensure both government control over the complexities of a jointly funded research and development program. A four-person Project Selection Committee supported the Executive Board by providing technical and related advice. An operating agent carried on the program according to the instructions of the Executive Board. The operating agent, also, acted as a communication link between the officials of the two countries. 3.1.3 Technical Plan A Technical Program Plan was developed, at 'the beginning of the program, to specify the type of projects, determine the technical approach, and identify the solar energy technologies to be researched. The program was focused on four fields of solar energy utilization. Those fields are illustrated in Figure 11 and summarized below. 3.1.3.1 Urban Applications The objective of the Urban Applications was to improve the quality of life for the inhabitants in hot, arid environments by investigating solar applications for cooling. Four university research and four engineering field test projects were conducted for a total cost of US$ 1 5.5 million. 3.1.3.2 Agricultural/Rural Applications The major goal was to examine the feasibility of using solar technologies in remote areas. The photovoltaic electric power station, at the Solar Village, was one of the major projects with a total cost of about US$41 million. The solar powered greenhouse design project was a second major project with a total cost of US$3.6 million. 3.1.3.3 Industrial Applications The goal of this program area was to use solar technologies in industrial applications that require thermal or electrical energy. The major project was the development and demonstration of solar-powered seawater desalination technologies. The total cost of this program area was roughly US$35.3 million. 3.1.3.4 Resource Development Activities Several activities supported Resource Development. Those include collection and analysis of solar resources data, granting universities multi-year funding to conduct basic solar energy research, organizing and sponsoring major international technical solar

workshops and annual short courses in solar-related fields, and disseminating the technical knowledge acquired during the program. The total expenditure in this area was US$5.1 million. 3.2. New Program with USA At the end of SOLERAS, the two countries started as of 1 989 a second R&D program including all types of renewable energies, such as: solar, wind, geothermal, biomass, etc. The program's main areas of interest are: 3.2.1. Renewable Energy Resources Assessment Saudi Arabia already conducted preliminary assessments to its renewable energy resources. The Solar Energy Atlas was published by KACST, in 1983, from data collected by the Department of Water Resources and was prepared by Institut Royal Meteorologique De Belgique (31. The Saudi Arabian Wind Energy Atlas was published in 1986 in cooperation with King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia [41, The geothermal resources were surveyed by the Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources [51. The present project will concentrate on assessments of resources using new and improved data bases that are more accurate and cover all regions of the Kingdom. The project will make direct measurements, and remote sensing techniques. For example, one of the major undergoing project is the Saudi Solar Atlas, where twelve stations are to be installed at selected locations throughout the Kingdom. These stations, however, include the most advanced equipment in solar measurements. 3.2.2 Decentralized Renewable Energy Systems for Remote/Rural Communities The proposed activities under this area of cooperation includes the following applications: a. Solar water heaters; b. Fresh water production by solar stills; c. Agricultural drying; d. Cooking e. Solar water pumps; and f. Mini power plants 3.2.3 Solar Buildings Technology Research and Development

This area of cooperation will include activities in passive as well as active cooling. These activities will be extension to work already completed under SOLERAS agreement with several local and U.S. universities and air conditioning companies. 4. JOINT AGREEMENT WITH GERMANY The agreement with the Federal Republic of Germany is devoted to address several solar related issues through a joint international R&D program. The joint program commenced in 1 982/83 with the Solar Electric Stirling Engine Concentrator project. It was then expanded to include sizeable projects dedicated to the advancement of solar hydrogen technologies. The solar dish project, which succeeded in generating 50 kW of electricity from a single concentrator dish, is still considered the largest dish of its type in the world. The project budget was, roughly DM 8 million. The Solar Hydrogen projects (HYSOLAR) will be presented in more detail in the coming sections. 4.1. SOLAR HYDROGEN (HYSOLAR) 4.1.1 Introduction The future potential of hydrogen as an energy carrier is unarguable, since hydrogen can be transported, stored and burned using technologies already applied for natural gas [6]. It can be produced by several processes using new and renewable energy sources such as solar. One method of generation is photolysis, In which solar radiation is used directly to generate hydrogen. This method has many problems related to separation and recovery [7], so its potential for large scale production of hydrogen is minimal. The simplest and cleanest method Is electrolysis, in which solar energy is converted into electricity which is used for electric decomposition of water [8,9]. Solar hydrogen generation will allow countries with high annual solar energy availability, such as Saudi Arabia, to export that energy to other less sunny countries such as the middle and northern European [10]. It is augured by several, such as [11], that specific areas of the industrial and public energy consumption will be fulfilled during the next century by utilizing hydrogen. This calls for the development of the hydrogen transportation, storage, and utilization technologies so that hydrogen can be used by the public. There are many problems that require extensive R&D effort before the solar hydrogen technology can be feasible both technically and economically. Such problems are requirements for immense solar collection area, system matching [9, 12, 13], storage systems [14, 15], distribution, utilization [16], and cost. Those problems are being under major consideration in many research institutes and international cooperation programs, like HYSOLAR, around the world. 4.1.2 Objectives

The Saudi interest in solar hydrogen arose eight years ago when it was envisaged that hydrogen might become the main source of energy in the next century. The program objectives can be summarized as follows: Attain sufficient scientific knowledge for future commercial production and use of hydrogen in Saudi Arabia. Facilitate the transfer of developed/acquired solar hydrogen related technologies to the scientific community and the general public of Saudi Arabia. 4.1.3 Program Management The program is supervised by the German-Saudi Arabian Joint Committee for Cooperation in Science and Technology, and managed Jointly by the King, Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) and the German Aerospace Establishment (DLR). Figure III illustrates the organization chart of the program. The program is funded jointly with a total budget of DM 339.2 million. The program duration was five years which ended December 1 989 [17]. However, it has been extended until the end of December 1995. 4.1.4 Technical Plan A technical plan was initially developed in 1 983 [18], and revised after that during the course of the program. The plan consists of six tasks: l. Demonstration of the reliability and safeness of solar hydrogen production through a continuous operation of 350 kW solar electrolytic hydrogen production demonstration plant that is constructed in the Solar Village, near Riyadh - Saudi Arabia. ll. Design and construction of a 10 kW solar hydrogen production facility. This consists of 10 kW photovoltaic power generation subsystem and three new and advanced electrolyzers. The project construction is completed in Stuttgart, Federal Republic of Germany. lll. Installation of a 2 kW laboratory test facility at the King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. IV. Basic research on photo-electrochemistry, advanced alkaline electrolysis, and fuel cells. V. Study the available techniques, equipment, and procedures for the utilization of hydrogen as fuel for future introduction to the public. The equipment that are under study are catalytic combustors, gas flame burners, steam generators, fuel cells, and internal combustion engines.

Vl.. Building the professional community in the field of solar hydrogen technologies and training personnel for the monitoring, operation, maintenance, and repair of solar powered hydrogen generation, storage, transportation, and utilization equipment. 5. INTERNAL PROGRAM During the SOLERAS agreement the department of Solar Energy Programs at KACST was founded. The department function was initially to assist in administering the SOLERAS program. Then in 1980, it started a series of solar energy activities that include: publishing the Saudi Arabian Solar Energy Atlas (191, cooperating with Ministry of Communications for designing, installing, and testing various demonstration solar-powered Highway Devices [ 201, and cooperating with Ministry of Agriculture and Water for the utilization of solar energy for maturation of dates using solar-powered cabinet dryers [211. Those' projects were mainly aimed to show the technical and economical advantages of solar technology. The major projects' scope, energy savings, and unit energy cost will be summarized in the next section. Significant step was also taken in 1988, when KACST announced the establishment of the Energy Research Institute. The present Solar Energy Programs Department will be the basis for the new Institute. The objectives of the Institute are: l. To investigate the potential of all known resources of new and renewable energy, that are existing in the Kingdom, ll. To find out problems and solutions for improving energy utilization. lll. To support private sector for using new energy technologies in agriculture and industry. lV. To consider all related topics on Energy Conservation and Management. V. To conduct R&D, and testing on energy systems that are designed under socioenvironmental considerations. Vl. To enhance the skill of local engineers and technicians in the field of new and renewable energy technologies, and V11. To introduce the tested system technologies for public awareness. 6. TECHNICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS The following discussion summarizes each major project attempted and the major technical accomplishments attained: 6.1 Solar Village

The Solar Village Photovoltaic Power System completed by SOLERAS 1931, was the first project of its size and complexity in the world. The system consists of a 350 kW concentrator photovoltaic electricity-generating power station. The station supplied 1 to 1.5 MM of electrical energy per day to three rural villages. The villages have a combined population of about 4,000. The experiences acquired have been very significant in advancing the technology. Figure IV illustrates the reduction of cost of one kilowatt photovoltaic system from US$70,000, for the Solar Village project, to US$4,000, for a project quoted In 19186. This decrease is due, in part, to the progress attained, which includes the installation of the first semiautomatic manufacturing facility for concentrated photovoltaic and the field testing of a stand-alone power generation station [22]. 6.2 Solar-Powered Seawater Desalination A Solar-Powered Seawater Desalination Pilot Plant, that was completed by SOLERAS December 1984, uses an indirect contact heat transfer freeze process to produce 200 cubic meter of potable water per day. The energy source is the sun. Solar energy is collected by a distributed array of two-axis tracking, point focus concentrators. The annual average solar energy collected per day is 2.2 MWh. The operation, maintenance, and performance results enabled collector component manufacturers to use the project as a test bed for new concepts. Falconer Glass Corporation investigated solutions to mirror edge protection against environment. Power Kinetic Incorporated improved the tracking mechanism and developed a new third generation solar collector. Chicago Bridge & Iron Company learned more about the freeze desalination process and developed a new commercial equipment [23]. This plant, however, was closed down for economical reasons. 6.3 Cooling Engineering Field Test The cooling field test projects, sponsored by SOLERAS, explored the possibility of using solar energy for cooling of building envelopes. Two systems were built by Carrier Corporation, the cooling capacity of the first system is 53 kW and the second is 35 kW. A third system was built by United Technology Research Center, with a cooling capacity of 63 kW, and a fourth system was built by Honywell Technology Center, with a cooling capacity of 49 kW. Ail systems are energized by solar energy. The O&M results enabled manufacturers to deal with many solar air conditioning issues such as mismatch of collectors output with absorption refrigeration requirements, breakage of evacuated-tubes solar collector receivers, and deterioration of 3 M solar collector reflective surface film. 6.4 350 kW Solar Hydrogen Demonstration System The Solar Hydrogen Pilot Plant is under construction and will be completed in July 1990. The advanced alkaline water electrolyzers are manufactured in Belgium and their installation has been delayed due to technical difficulties. The plant is considered the world's first 350 kW solar-powered hydrogen generation plant, where the solar photovoltaic system generates DC electricity that is used by advanced alkaline water electrolyzers to produce 463 cubic meter of hydrogen at normal pressure per day. The

system includes new and challenging aspects to the electrolyzer design. Those new features will allow the electrolyzer to operate Linder variable solar conditions with intermittent mode of operation that is not yet investigated. The accomplishments of the project are yet to come [24, 25]. 6.5. Hydrogen Utilization Laboratory A number of advanced and typical engines that can use hydrogen as a fuel are under development and testing at the Hydrogen Utilization Laboratory. The laboratory is equipped with the followings: hydrogen engine for stationary testing, catalytic combustion, modified gas lamp, welding equipment, steam generator, and hydrogenfueled thermoelectric generator [26]. 6.6. Fuel Cell Development Phosphoric Acid Fuel cells (PAFCs) fabrication to produce electrical energy using hydrogen with an output of 100 W, 250 W, and over 1 kW respectively [27]. 6.7 PV-Powered Highway Lighting and Warning Devices The projects are sponsored by KACST. They generate roughly 1.5 MWh of solar electric energy per day. The two most significant projects are the lighting systems for two remote tunnels located in the south mountains of Saudi Arabia. The tunnels length is 712 m and the lighting system uses technology specially developed for DC electricity. Total projects budget is -4.5 Million US dollars. The calculated cost of one kWh of electric energy generated is around US$O. 1. 6.8 Saudi Universities Projects KACST has funded the solar cooling research laboratories at four Saudi universities. The funds were used to equip the laboratories with the necessary apparatus and instrumentations. The King Faisal sponsored Laboratory was not only equipped but the building itself was, also, financed by KACST. The purpose of the laboratory is to evaluate the performance of solar passive concepts and materials used in building design and construction under the hot Saudi environment. The King Saud University Laboratory was equipped with two lithium bromide water absorption chillers and solar evacuated tube collectors to power the absorption machines. The laboratory was also equipped with a thermoelectric cooling system and a flat plate photovoltaic array to power the system. The laboratory will conduct research on active solar cooling. The laboratories of King Fahd University for Petroleum and Minerals and the King Abdulaziz University were equipped with Rankine cycle air-conditioners and evacuated

tube and parabolic trough collectors to power the air-conditioning units. Both universities will conduct experimentation on active solar cooling using Rankine cycle airconditioning. KACST is funding basic solar energy and solar hydrogen production research at several of the above named universities. The research is focused on the following themes: photoelectrochemical and photo-catalytic water cleavage, advanced alkaline electrolysis, and catalytic mechanisms in fuel cells and gas diffusion electrodes. KACST is also financing a 2 kW solar hydrogen production research facility at the King Abdulaziz University. The test facilities are used to study the performance of hydrogen generation electrolyzers under variable solar operational conditions. 6.9 Photovoltaic Research and Applications: a. 3kw System The system was installed in 1987 for evaluation of orientation, tracking, dust, long-term performance, reliability, and temperature of PV modules on efficiency and energy output. b. Tilt Angle Test: Ten polycrystalline PV modules are used to study the effect of changing tilt angles and dust accumulation on PV modules in Riyadh area. c. Small Applications: Several types of warning signs are installed so that their performance under different weather conditions is analyzed. d. PV Desalination Plant for remote areas: This experimental plant Was operated recently using PV modules of 11 kW with Reverse Osmosis Unit. The project is' running well with an output of about 600 liters/hour. e . Rural Areas: This Project is intended to use PV lighting systems for 20 schools in the Ministry of Education. f. Recent Applications: Continuing the studies concerned with supplying electricity to electronic circuits, lighting, communication and roads using Photovoltaic Panels, Standalone and Grid-connected systems are also considered. 6.10. Domestic Hot Water Systems The projects are sponsored by a number of governmental agencies. They are installed in several housing compounds around the Kingdom. The average solar heating energy produced per square meter of collection area is about 30 kWh per day. One of the projects has 2244 square meter of solar collection area and generates 68.5 MWh of useful heating energy per day. The calculated cost of one kWh of useful heating energy from solar is around US$0.035. 6.11. Solar Thermal Activities:

There are a number of small projects in thermal applications of solar energy mainly, solar collectors, solar dryers and solar cookers. 6.12. Energy Information and Databases: There are a number of projects Linder the Energy Databases and Networking. This project aimed to provide scientific consultations re to solar and other renewable energy techniques. 6.13. Wind Energy Research Assessment: Initiating the Saudi Atlas Project for wind measurements. Five locations are selected in the Kingdom, namely, Abha, Ar-ar, Dhahran, Solar Village and Yanbu. it is shown clearly that there are various solar, renewable energy projects in the country; and this will urge the need of integration of all types of energy [28, 29]. 7. CONCLUSION The experiences gained by Saudi Arabia from jointly funded energy research programs were very rewarding for the advancement of the energy research capabilities of the country and the convey of the developed solar energy technology to the scientific community and the general public. The joint R&D efforts were concentrated on the development of pilot plant type research facilities. Those plants were expensive to build, operate, and analyze, and tough if not impossible, to undertake entirely alone. That is why, several of the built facilities are still the largest in the world today. The international energy research experiences were used as a guidance for building the infrastructure of the Solar Energy Programs Department at KACST, that is now expanded to be the basis for the newly announced Energy Research Institute. The Institute will administer the country energy search in the future. Back to Top

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The Muslim country of Saudi Arabia is the most energy rich country in the world from many perspectives. They are the world's fifth largest petroleum producer, have the worlds largest solar energy collecting facility in the world, and can claim the largest center of spiritual energy during the hajj time in Mecca (cloudnet). Some reports claim Saudi Arabia has little incentive to develop solar power since they have such vast reserves of petroleum energy resources. Other experts suspect that Saudi Arabia is busy developing solar energy resources for its own usage so they can free up more oil for export (EIA). saudi aims to use less and export more However, official documents of the Kingdom state that," Saudi Arabia has been working to reduce its dependence on crude oil as the dominant source of national energy and income (Al-Athar). It is the Kingdom's view that such exhaustible resources ought to be more wisely used in developing other products more beneficial and useful to mankind (saudiembassy.net). In fact, sunlight is actually Saudi Arabia's largest natural resource, not petroleum. Saudi Arabia is listed on the map of the top five places for potential photovoltaic generation of electricity around the world (Hydrogen). The Kingdom receives some of the most intense sunlight in the world: 105 trillion kilowatt hours a day, which is the equivalent of 10 billion barrels of crude oil in energy terms (Saudiembassy.net). The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia extends from Azimuth 50 to Azimuth 35 and from latitude 17 in the south to latitude 32 in the north. The average annual solar radiation failing on the Arabian Peninsula is then about 2200 kWh (th)/m2. These figures highlight the fact that solar insulation is uniquely available in all the areas of Saudi Arabia at high intensity all year round (Al-Athel). This makes Saudi Arabia one of the most likely candidates for a country run by solar energy.

Although nearly 50% of the world's solar cell production is from Japan and they also lead in solar energy usage, Saudi Arabia is quickly catching up with the rest of the world in the area of solar energy and even making quite a few original contributions itself (Solar Energy Global). The first ever demonstration of solar cell usage was in 1954 by AT&T in Murray Hill, New Jersey (Bellis). However, Saudi Arabia was not far behind. The first photovoltaic energy was installed by the French at an airport in Medina in 1960. Since then Saudi Arabia has invested many resources towards the development of solar energy in the Kingdom (Al-Athel).
suntracker solar system

The King Abdul Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) is responsible for the administration and supervision of all research projects in various scientific areas (Saudi Embassy). KACST provides funding for solar energy research in the Kingdom as well. It also funds various cooperative efforts with organizations around the globe. KACST's most ambitious applied research project is the Solar Energy Research Program. The program encompasses a multitude of projects, many in cooperation with Saudi industries, universities, research institutes and American scientific organizations. It is under them that all of Saudi Arabias solar projects run. Under this umbrella the Kingdom has many ongoing projects in solar energy towards this goal. They include: 1. SOLARES: A joint venture with the USA to develop solar energy in the Kingdom 2. The Saudi Solar Village Project 3. The Saudi Controlled Agricultural Environmental Project 4. The Renewable Energy Resource Program 5. The Saudi-German Joint Commission on Solar Energy 6. HYSOLAR: A joint program with Germany that produces hydrogen from the sun. 7. 350W Solar Demonstration System in Riyadh One product of SOLERAS's work is the Solar Energy Water Desalination Plant, a facility located about 24 miles south of Yanbu on the Red Sea. The plant has the capacity to produce 48,080 gallons of desalinated water daily. A Date Research Center in Al-Hasa has long used solar thermal dryers for ripening and drying dates and is currently studying how these processes affect the dates' nutritional value. solar panals in the desert KACST is also conducting a solar-cooling experiment and has designed a solar thermal cooker. KACST has also

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