Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu has signed an agreement with the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KA-Care) to establish a solar centre.

The two parties signed a joint cooperation agreement to conduct a feasibility study on the establishment and operation of 50MW solar energy station, which will be located in Yanbu Industrial City.

Having launched an ambitious 54GW alternative energy programme in 2011, which included a target of integrating 41GW of solar by 2032, KA-Care’s ambitious plans for its ambitious renewables programme have largely been shelved as KA-Care has not made any progress with any projects.

While the KA-Care programme has failed to take off, state utility Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) has started to move ahead with plans for renewable energy on a smaller scale.

SEC has received bids for two integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC) projects in 2015. The client is reportedly in negotiations with a contractor for the 550MW Duba ISCC, which will contain a 40-50MW solar component, and is evaluating bids for the 1,050MW Waad al-Shamal ISCC, which will contain a 50MW solar component.  

In September, SEC initiated the tendering process for its largest ISCC project to date, the 3,780MW Taiba plant in thewestern Medina region of the kingdom.

The plant will contain a combined-cycle capacity of 3,600MW as well as a 180MW solar component. The plant will be one of the largest generation facilities in the kingdom, and will cost upwards of $3bn to build.