The Renewable Resource Atlas of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an online data portal developed by King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE) which contains the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on renewable energy resources.  The Atlas currently contains extensive information on solar resources, plus limited information on wind resources:

• The solar resource and associated meteorological data come primarily from a newly operational network of over 50 ground-based monitoring stations around the Kingdom, to be fully installed by the end of 2015.  Data for selected stations and time periods from a historical solar resource monitoring network operated by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) are also included in the Historical Comparisons tab in the graphing interface.

• The Atlas also contains modeled solar and wind resource information, based primarily on satellite datasets.

• The Atlas contains wind resource data (at 100-m height) from wind monitoring masts which were installed in 2015. A total of 40 monitoring masts will be included eventually.

Additional datasets within the Atlas, such as roads and the electric grid, help provide context for the resource data.  Beyond some basic statistics on waste generation in the Kingdom, data on geothermal and waste-to-energy resources are not yet available for the Atlas.

For security and programmatic purposes, users are required to log-in to view any data beyond monthly and annual averages, also to download or graph data.  Authorized logged in users can access daily or finer data via data download options for a fee.  Consulting services by K.A.CARE are also available to provide tailored datasets and analysis, which can be requested via the Contact Us page.

Maps and information accessible to the public can be used with credit to K.A.CARE and the Atlas.  Any dataset, map, or graph that is downloaded is accompanied by a Terms of Use Agreement. For all approved uses, please use the following source citation:

Renewable Resource Atlas, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (K.A.CARE), Saudi Arabia, http://rratlas.energy.gov.sa , 2015.

The Atlas consists of a web portal with general information on renewable resources and users, and a mapping interface which allows mapping, graphing, and downloading of datasets.  Begin by reviewing the Getting Started section of the Help Page.

K.A.CARE was established by Royal order A/35 of H.M. King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on 17th April 2010 with the fundamental aim of building a sustainable future for Saudi Arabia by developing a substantial alternative energy capacity fully supported by world-class local industries.  Currently operating out of a headquarters office in downtown Riyadh, K.A.CARE is making plans to develop a state-of-the-art campus or “city” outside of Riyadh over the next several years.  This City will serve as a focal point of research, development, testing, and deployment of solar, wind, geothermal, waste-to-energy, and nuclear technologies and projects.

Saudi Arabia has a rapidly growing population that places ever-increasing pressure on the country’s non-renewable hydrocarbon resources. It was, therefore, concluded that alternative, sustainable and reliable resources of energy for generating power and producing desalinated water should be introduced that will reduce consumption of the nation’s fossil fuel reserves. It also was determined that a balanced energy mix of alternative and conventional energy is strategically important to Saudi Arabia’s long-term prosperity, energy security, and its leading position in the global energy market.

Following extensive technical and economic analysis, the decision has been taken to introduce atomic and renewable energy for a significant portion of Saudi Arabia’s future energy mix. The two sectors will provide substantial capacity, advanced technology, and efficient use of resources and will be fully compliant with international best practices, conventions and treaties. Fulfillment of this decision enables the Kingdom to plan for increased demand for power and desalinated water while ensuring that the rate of national development continues. The introduction of alternative resources now places Saudi Arabia at the forefront of the development and utilization of atomic and renewable energy while providing numerous opportunities for national and international private sector companies to grow their businesses in the Kingdom, and Saudi nationals to enhance their knowledge and skills.

Atlas data can also be analyzed by K.A.CARE staff, upon request by contacting K.A.CARE, to provide tailored reports for government entities answering questions such as:

• What would the anticipated performance be of a solar photovoltaic system in Makkah Province?

• Where in the Kingdom are solar resources the strongest on a year-round basis?

• What are the best renewable energy technology options for Tabuk?

• Solar resource data (DNI, GHI, and spectral information) from an expanding newly operational network of solar resource monitors around Saudi Arabia, including data uncertainty information.  By the end of 2015, over 50 stations will be active.

• Example modeled solar resource data drawing primarily on satellite-based inputs, but not yet adapted to reflect the new solar monitoring network data.

• Dust deposition and aerosol optical depth data (AOD, degree to which aerosols prevent the transmission of light by absorption or scattering) for 7 of the stations included in the newly operational solar network in Saudi Arabia, to be completed by the end of 2015.

• Meteorological data measured as part of the newly operational network of solar monitoring stations.

• Wind resource data from a few 100-m tall monitoring masts, one of which was installed on the K.A.CARE City Site in October 2013. A total of 40 monitoring mast will be included .

• Example modeled wind resource data showing annual average wind speeds at a resolution of 3 km x 3 km based on numerical mesoscale modeling.