Saudi properties receive green light to use solar panels

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing announced this week that it began to implement the safety requirements necessary to install solar energy cells in residential buildings and facilities. (GettyImages)
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Updated 10 February 2021
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Saudi properties receive green light to use solar panels

  • Saudi Arabia’s vast and arid regions are considered a great hub for solar potential

JEDDAH: With sunlight lasting approximately nine hours a day in Saudi Arabia, properties in the Kingdom have been given the green light to install solar panels as an alternative form of electricity generation.

The Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and Housing announced this week that it began to implement the safety requirements necessary to install solar energy cells in residential buildings and facilities.

Participating entities in this project include the Ministry of Energy; the Electricity and Co-Generation Regulatory Authority; the Ministry of Commerce and Investment; the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy; and the Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization.

This follows the Saudi Ministry of Energy’s announcement that small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) systems — one or more solar panels combined with an inverter and other electrical hardware — are ready to produce electricity for consumers’ houses and enterprises, which are to be later connected to the Kingdom’s electrical grid.

Saudi Arabia’s vast and arid regions are considered a great hub for solar potential. Rich in sunlight and gas, the Kingdom is moving toward diversifying its domestic power supply, and companies such as Saudi Aramco have been using PV panels as a renewable energy source since the 1980s. 

Some of the benefits of using PV systems are that they are environmentally friendly; efficient, as solar energy can be made available almost anywhere there is sunlight; cost-effective; low-maintenance; and silent.

PV systems represent a step forward in addressing the issue of climate change. To this end, Saudi Arabia has been promoting the concept of a circular carbon economy, a topic widely and repeatedly discussed during the Kingdom’s presidency of the 2020 G20. 

Designing and installing a PV power system requires strict attention to guidelines. Safety practices are critical to reducing or eliminating installation errors, electrical hazards, or injuries, Walid Al-Ghamdi, head of projects and engineering management at the Public Administration Institute in Makkah, explained to Arab News.

The ministry pointed out that all service users should be aware of these requirements, including inspectors, contractors, designers, engineering and consulting offices, and beneficiaries of the system.

Before receiving the green light to install PV systems on office buildings or residential structures, the relevant authority will review related documents and plans and examine the building’s construction.

“Our buildings have good rooftop spaces, which makes them suitable to install these systems, compared to houses in other regions in the world, like Europe, for example,” said Al-Ghamdi.

“However, since PV systems usually cover large areas, residential buildings can definitely benefit from this energy but cannot be dependent on it completely,” he added.

PV systems are thus best used in large buildings, like malls, and across vast areas, like car parking fields, he suggested. As for the cost-efficiency of solar energy, Al-Ghamdi explained that it is a relative matter. “In general, the energy generated by the electric wire is more affordable inside cities, but for remote areas, PV energy is more economical.” 

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Rich in sunlight and gas, the Kingdom is moving toward diversifying its domestic power supply.

The cost of solar energy systems decreases while efficiency increases at an approximate rate of 20 to 30 percent on an annual basis, according to Al-Ghamdi.

During the 11th session of the General Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency earlier in January, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy President Khalid Al-Sultan said that Saudi Arabia aims to generate 50 percent of the nation’s power needs using renewable energy by 2030, with the remainder provided by gas.

Al-Sultan said the Kingdom is working to create a sustainable renewable energy sector that includes industries, services, the localization of technologies and the development of human resources.

“Saudi Arabia is heading in the right direction when it comes to renewable, clean energy and saving the environment,” said Al-Ghamdi. “It can play a pioneering role in this field.”

Al-Ghamdi highlighted the recently announced high-tech, environmentally friendly city, The Line, to be located in NEOM, as the best example of applied clean energy.


Saudi crown prince, Greek PM discuss Iran-Israel tensions in phone call

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi crown prince, Greek PM discuss Iran-Israel tensions in phone call

RIYADH: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke on the phone on Sunday with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to discuss the escalating situation between Israel and Iran, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two leaders reviewed the latest developments in the region, with particular focus on the repercussions of Israeli military operations targeting Iran.

They stressed the need for restraint and de-escalation, and underlined the importance of resolving disputes through diplomatic means, SPA added.

The phone call comes amid heightened tensions following a series of tit-for-tat strikes between the two countries.

The latest flare-up has raised fears of a broader regional conflict, with international leaders urging all parties to avoid further escalation.


Saudi foundation displays projects at Dutch ‘GreenTech’ exhibition

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi foundation displays projects at Dutch ‘GreenTech’ exhibition

  • Morooj highlighted its technical and operational capabilities, as well as its innovative environmental solutions based on best practices and global standards

RIYADH: The Vegetation Cover Development Foundation, known as Morooj, presented its flagship projects as part of the Saudi delegation at Greentech Amsterdam, an international exhibition for horticulture held from June 10-12 in the Dutch capital.

Morooj highlighted its technical and operational capabilities, as well as its innovative environmental solutions based on best practices and global standards.

The foundation also presented examples of its strategic partnerships with various government and private sectors, as well as with international organizations.

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The foundation’s CEO, Wael Bushah, said that its participation in GreenTech further demonstrates the Kingdom’s efforts to reinforce its leadership in the environmental sector on an international level.

The projects displayed included the planting of millions of mangrove trees, greening mosque areas, promoting community participation in environmental sanitation campaigns, and efforts to rehabilitate natural reserves in various regions of the Kingdom, all of which fall under the Saudi Green Initiative.

The foundation’s CEO, Wael Bushah, said that its participation in GreenTech further demonstrates the Kingdom’s efforts to reinforce its leadership in the environmental sector on an international level.

The exhibition, one of the world’s leading events focused on environmental innovations and sustainable agricultural technologies, is also an opportunity to build new partnerships and exchange expertise on the latest innovations in sustainable agriculture, afforestation, and ecosystem restoration.

Ultimately, Murooj aims to become an interactive platform for knowledge transfer and application, creating meaningful environmental and social impact in the Kingdom.

The foundation’s role of strengthening its international presence and exchanging successful experiences with various global environmental entities and organizations has been crucial to achieving the objectives of the Saudi Green Initiative, founded under Saudi Vision 2030.

SGI, which celebrated its second anniversary earlier this year, has reinforced the Kingdom’s ambitions to become a key contributor to global efforts to combat climate change and enhance environmental sustainability by promoting renewable energy, protecting terrestrial and marine areas, and reaching net-zero domestically by 2060, among other initiatives.

 


Saudi Arabia displays biotech vision at US convention

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi Arabia displays biotech vision at US convention

  • The center will give presentations on biotechnology and health research, the Saudi Biobank, and the sector’s role in Vision 2030

RIYADH: The Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, and King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences will join the Saudi pavilion at the BIO International Convention in Boston, US, from June 16 to 19.

This will be the first joint national representation of Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology sector at the event, aligning with Vision 2030 and the National Biotechnology Strategy.

The King Abdullah center will display national initiatives and host meetings with global biotech companies to explore research and development partnerships.

The pavilion’s program features five sessions, among them a “super session” on innovation and opportunities in Saudi Arabia’s biotechnology sector.

The center will also give presentations on biotechnology and health research, the Saudi Biobank, and the sector’s role in Vision 2030.

The Ministry of Health will launch an accelerator program for biotech startups and host a reception for global investors and industry experts to discuss potential partnerships.

The participation underscores Saudi Arabia’s efforts to support research and development through digital infrastructure, regulatory support, and institutional collaboration.

 


Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

Ali Al-Herz (right) turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books. (Supplied)
Updated 15 June 2025
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Jadal Library: A cultural oasis in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province

  • Ali Al-Herz turned his home into a library of over 37,000 books, offering visitors space where memory, philosophy, culture come alive

DHAHRAN: In the quiet village of Umm Al-Hamam, located in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, a lifelong passion for books has been transformed into a cultural haven.

Ali Al-Herz, a bibliophile and literary archivist, has turned his home into Jadal Library, a treasure trove of over 37,000 books, more than 100,000 newspapers and magazines, and antiques, some dating back more than a century. 

Yet Jadal is not just a library; it is much more than that. It is a museum to explore, a philosophical space to reflect, and a stand against forgetting important cultural stories.

Al-Herz told Arab News: “Since I was born I have been surrounded by my mother’s books. I grew up immersed in this passion to the point where it completely took hold of me; I became a bookworm.”

The spark that ignited it all was when Al-Herz encountered the epic “Sirat Antar” at age 13. “From that epic and through it, I began to look into other worlds,” he said.  

This curiosity and fascination ultimately led Al-Herz to create one of Saudi Arabia's most unique initiatives.

The name “Jadal” means “debate” or “discussion” in Arabic, reflecting the library’s curious spirit. For Al-Herz, the goal is not just to preserve texts but also to preserve the idea of questioning and exploring ideas.

Al-Herz said: “I chose this name for the library because it is deeply rooted in ancient Greek philosophical history and in our own Arab-Islamic cultural tradition, particularly in our religious heritage.”

The philosophical atmosphere fills three main halls — named after Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle — which welcome visitors into a curated world of reading and reflection.  

Rare manuscripts, ancient texts, newspapers, and antiques have been carefully archived. Each piece is a whisper from the past speaking into the future. 

Al-Herz explained: “Even my recent focus on buying books has mostly shifted toward rare editions and old prints, to create a harmony between heritage and modernity.”

But Jadal is not stuck in nostalgia, as every two weeks Al-Herz holds a literary gathering. The event brings back a tradition that was once important in the intellectual life of Arabs.

It is an environment where writers, scholars, and thinkers gather over Arabic coffee to exchange ideas in a vibrant atmosphere.

And in a time when people seek instant information online, Al-Herz still uses traditional methods. “There is an ongoing struggle between two generations,” he observed. “Victory will ultimately go to this latter generation once my generation becomes extinct. Paper libraries will then be transformed into museums.”

Perhaps he is right; but for now, in the heart of Qatif’s countryside, Jadal Library lives on, and it is a place where ink, memory, debate, and heritage continue to shape the cultural soul of the Kingdom.


Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

Updated 15 June 2025
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Saudi envoy leads maritime safety talks in London

  • Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization recently made history by chairing the 51st advisory committee meetings of the International Mobile Satellite Organization in London.

Kamal Al-Junaidi is the first Arab to preside over the committee, creating a milestone for both the Kingdom and the Arab world in maritime governance, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

His role also reflects Saudi Arabia’s growing presence in international maritime organizations and commitment to advancing maritime communication and safety systems.

Al-Junaidi managed the sessions and acted as a neutral facilitator, helping member states reach consensus on key issues, including oversight of the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System, implementation of Long Range Tracking and Safety standards and audit reviews for satellite communication providers.

He also led discussions on proposed maritime safety regulation amendments, monitored the organization’s strategic direction to ensure alignment with IMO standards and submitted the committee’s recommendations to the General Assembly.

The 51st session took place at the IMO headquarters in London, with representatives from 44 countries engaging in in-depth discussions on key maritime challenges.