Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

China-headquartered ZOE Energy Storage has announced it has signed a joint-venture agreement with a Saudi partner to develop a battery energy storage system (bess) manufacturing facility in the kingdom.

The facility will be developed in two phases. The first phase will have an annual production capacity of 6GWh and is scheduled to begin operations in the first quarter of 2027.

A second phase will increase the total production capacity to 18GWh.

In a statement, ZOE said the manufacturing facility will cover 150 acres and will be built to European manufacturing standards.

The location and the partner involved have not been publicly disclosed.

The Saudi facility will be the Chinese company’s second overseas manufacturing base, following a 6GWh energy storage system manufacturing facility in Hungary. This was developed with Energy Pro Hungary and began operations in October 2025.

Under Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, the kingdom plans to deploy 130GW of renewable energy capacity and 48GWh of energy storage and achieve 50% clean power generation.

In May, Saudi Arabia’s principal buyer, Saudi Power Procurement Company, received statements of qualification from firms seeking to build, own and operate a second group of bess projects with a combined power capacity of 3GW.

The programme comprises six independent storage provider projects with a total capacity of 3GW, equivalent to 12,000 megawatt-hours based on a four-hour storage duration.

The main contract tender is expected to be issued in the coming months once firms are formally prequalified.

> Be recognised among the best in the industry at the MEED Projects Awards 2026 ...