The KAPSARC Solar Plant is a key infrastructure asset in Saudi Arabia's power generation grid, located on the continent of Asia. Designated as a renewable electricity generation station, the facility features an installed capacity of 0 MW. Its primary operation relies on harnessing solar energy resources to generate bulk electricity. Operational management and ownership of the facility are handled by the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center, which oversees daily maintenance and grid dispatch integration. The facility was officially connected to the commercial grid in 2020, since which it has maintained regular output, playing a structured role in domestic power supply security. In terms of domestic production capacity within Saudi Arabia, KAPSARC Solar Plant occupies the #6 position among all operational solar power plants. Its 0 MW capacity represents a 0.00% share of Saudi Arabia's total installed solar generating capacity, which currently stands at 127 MW. The largest operational solar installation in Saudi Arabia is the Waad Al Shamal ISCC with an output of 50 MW, making the KAPSARC Solar Plant approximately 1.0 times smaller by comparison. Across all fuel types and electricity generation technologies country-wide, this facility accounts for 0.0000% of Saudi Arabia's aggregate generation capacity of 144,277 MW. Based on historical capacity factors characteristic of solar power plants (modeled at 18% for analysis), the facility's expected annual electricity generation is calculated at approximately 0 MWh. Applying domestic consumption statistics where an average household in Saudi Arabia consumes 3 MWh of electricity annually, this level of production is sufficient to meet the energy demands of roughly 0 homes. As a clean and sustainable energy project, KAPSARC Solar Plant contributes to the direct displacement of greenhouse gases, preventing substantial quantities of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere and helping Saudi Arabia advance toward its renewable energy integration targets. The physical site of the station is located at geographic coordinates 24.8664° latitude and 46.7018° longitude. Analysis of local grid infrastructure shows a density of other assets within a 50-kilometer radius. These nearby facilities include the Riyadh Power Plant 9 (gas-fired, 5980 MW), the Riyadh 9 (oil-fired, 3616.6 MW), the Electricity Company Eighth Station (oil-fired, 2091 MW), representing a cluster of localized power assets. This geographic placement is vital for reinforcing regional distribution infrastructure and minimizing transmission line losses across this sector of Saudi Arabia.
6 years old
Saudi Arabia, Asia
Location
Zero Direct Emissions
KAPSARC Solar Plant is a solar power plant producing approximately 0 GWh of clean electricity per year with zero direct CO₂ emissions during operation.
Lifecycle emissions: ~41 g CO₂/kWh (manufacturing, transport, decommissioning)
Technical Details
- Primary Fuel Type
- Solar
- Energy Source
- Renewable
- Country
Saudi Arabia- Continent
- Asia
- Data Source
- Global Power Plant Database
Nearby Power Plants
An Overview of Solar Power Generation as a Sustainable Energy Source
Solar power generation harnesses the sun's energy using photovoltaic (PV) cells or solar thermal systems to produce electricity. The basic principle of solar power generation involves converting sunlight into usable energy. When sunlight hits a PV cell, it excites electrons in the semiconductor material, generating an electric current. This process is known as the photovoltaic effect. Solar thermal systems, on the other hand, use sunlight to heat a fluid that, in turn, produces steam to drive a turbine and generate electricity. Both methods provide a clean and renewable energy source that is gaining significant traction worldwide.
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