Tanmiah Food Company has partnered with Emerge, a joint venture between Masdar and EDF Group, to develop a solar power plant at Tanmiah’s agricultural processing facility in Haradh, Saudi Arabia. The solar plant will have a capacity of 3 megawatts peak (MWp) and will provide 35% of the facility’s electricity needs.
Emerge will design, finance, build, and operate the solar system for 25 years. The project is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 3,850 tonnes annually, equivalent to the electricity use of more than 800 households in a year.
This project is part of Tanmiah’s strategy to reduce its environmental footprint and support Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy goals under Vision 2030. It also marks Emerge’s second solar initiative to help decarbonize agricultural operations in the GCC region.
In addition to this project, smaller renewable energy initiatives are underway in Saudi Arabia. Several farming communities in Al-Qassim and Al-Hasa are using solar-powered irrigation systems. These systems, with capacities ranging from 10 kilowatts (kW) to 50 kW, help reduce fuel consumption and ensure water supply for agricultural lands.
In the town of Al-Ula, solar-powered streetlights have been installed to provide clean energy lighting in public areas. This project covers 10 villages and reduces reliance on the grid.
Saudi universities are also incorporating solar energy into their campuses. King Saud University has installed rooftop solar panels with a capacity of 2 MW to power parts of its academic buildings. In industrial zones like Jubail, small factories are adopting rooftop solar systems. Several sites now generate 500 kW to 1 MW of electricity using solar panels.
Saudi Arabia is also exploring floating solar technologies. A pilot project at the Wadi Al-Rummah Dam generates 300 kW of clean electricity while minimizing water evaporation.
