Saudi Arabia commissioned 13 renewable and battery storage projects totaling 10.5 gigawatts of capacity in 2026, according to the Saudi Ministry of Energy. Projects span 7 gigawatts of solar and wind power plus seven battery facilities with 3.5 gigawatts and 14 gigawatt-hours of storage. According to Renewables Now, 2026 saw 7 gigawatts of solar and wind plus 14 gigawatt-hours of battery storage.
SolarQuarter reports Saudi Arabia's renewable project pipeline now totals 63.8 gigawatts across 53 projects. Since 2020, operating renewable capacity has risen 63-fold. At 19.3 gigawatts in 2026, growth supports the national Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to diversify energy and reduce CO2 emissions.
Goals through 2030
Saudi Arabia's updated climate commitment sets a target of 50 percent renewable power by 2030, while also planning to supply up to 50 percent through natural gas. Ambitions in the commitment are tied to long-term economic growth and diversification, with significant contributions from hydrocarbon exports to the national economy.
Labor violations documented
A 2025 report documented systematic labor abuses at renewable projects. Workers earned an average of $370 monthly while paying non-refundable recruitment fees averaging $1,600. Many worked seven days weekly on as little as $250 monthly to send money home. More than half reported wage theft through deductions for breaks despite working in temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. Several experienced fainting or nosebleeds; one suspected heat-related heart attack at the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project proved fatal. Lead researcher Catriona Fraser called heat exposure one of the most alarming abuse patterns and described findings as systemic. Protests at the Sudair Solar Park faced retaliation, with multiple workers fired and deported.
ACWA Power, the NEOM Green Hydrogen Project, and the Sudair project did not answer inquiries from researchers. The Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development did not respond to Climate Home News. Fraser called for stricter scrutiny of Saudi Arabia's role in global clean energy supply chains, including planned electricity exports to Europe, and urged involved companies to investigate the allegations.
Speed and human rights
The report frames the challenge plainly: renewable energy expansion must accelerate yet cannot come at the cost of workers' and communities' human rights.