The Saudi Power Procurement Company awarded four solar and one wind projects totaling 4.5 GW in the sixth phase of the National Renewable Energy Program. Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) won the 1.4 GW Najran solar project at a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of SAR0.04 (~$0.01)/kWh. Masdar won the 600 MW Ad Darb solar project at an LCOE of SAR0.05 (~$0.01)/kWh. The project will be located in Jazan province. Saudi Electricity Company and Électricité de France Power Solutions International won the 600 MW Samtah solar project at an LCOE of SAR0.06 (~$0.02)/kWh.

The Kirkuk administration in northern Iraq approved several sites for new solar projects under the federal government’s renewable energy expansion plan. Governor Rebwar Taha announced the move during the Kirkuk International Solar Energy Exhibition, stating that the projects aim to ease pressure on the national grid and reduce power outages, especially during summer. Iraq continues to rely heavily on oil, which powers most of its electricity and makes up a large part of its exports. Nonetheless, ongoing power outages, gas flaring, and dependence on imports have driven the government to seek energy diversification mix.

Foulath Holding, the parent company of Bahrain Steel and SULB, signed a partnership with Yellow Door Energy to develop a 123 MW solar power project in Bahrain, which includes a rooftop solar plant with a capacity of 50 MW. The project will feature 77,000 panels across a 262,000-square-meter stockyard, generating about 200 million kWh.

Egypt inaugurated the Grand Egyptian Museum. With support from the UNDP and JICA, and under the supervision of Egypt’s Industrial Modernization Center, the museum has installed a 1.315 MW solar photovoltaic system, producing 2.24 GWh of clean energy annually. This initiative is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 100,000 tons per year and aligns with Egypt’s Vision 2030 for sustainable development. The project, part of the IMC’s Green Economy Program.

TotalEnergies and Saudi developer Aljomaih Energy & Water have secured a license to build a 400 MW solar power plant in Saudi Arabia, with operations expected to begin in 2027. The project will power 68,400 homes and sell electricity to the Saudi Power Procurement Company through a 25-year PPA. Despite plans to divest from non-priority markets, TotalEnergies continues investing in renewables tied to its oil and gas hubs, including this project linked to its petrochemical complex with Aramco. The initiative supports Saudi Arabia’s efforts to increase the share of renewables in its national energy mix.

Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power announced agreements amounting to $10 billion at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, expanding its clean energy portfolio across the GCC, Central Asia, China, and Africa. Key deals include a $6 billion investment in Saudi renewable projects under the National Renewable Energy Program, as well as major financing for solar and wind projects in Uzbekistan. The company also formed partnerships with IFC and the OPEC Fund to support African clean energy investments.