meed-logo

line1 line2 line3
SIGN IN / REGISTER

Masdar eyes major Saudi expansion

13 September 2023

 

Register for MEED's guest programme 

The Saudi branch of the UAE-based clean energy firm Masdar aims to bid for every single renewable energy project that is tendered in the kingdom, according to its managing director and country manager Abdulaziz al-Mubarak.

The company, along with French utility developer EDF and local consortium partner Nesma, has been shortlisted for contracts to develop two solar photovoltaic (PV) independent power producer (IPP) schemes under the fourth round of the kingdom’s National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP).

This month, alongside EDF, it signed a multi-utility contract for the Amaala tourism development in Saudi Arabia.

The team won the contract after two years of bidding and negotiations.

Unlike most IPP projects that Masdar and its partners have previously implemented, the scope of the Amaala contract covers four technologies: power generation through a solar power farm; a battery energy storage system to enable 24-hour solar power dispatch; renewable energy-powered water desalination through reverse osmosis; and a wastewater treatment plant.

Only one other development, the Red Sea project, has implemented the same model.

“The Amaala multi-utility project allows us to partner with the best technology providers,” Al-Mubarak tells MEED.

In addition to EDF’s expertise, another French firm, Suez, is expected to join the project.

“The requirement of Amaala is unique,” the executive explains, referring to the completely off-grid nature of the utility infrastructure that will support the development. “It is not a straightforward IPP and Masdar as a developer is a strong suit for this project.”

Developing the entire sustainable infrastructure under one contract is expected to lead to greater operational efficiencies throughout the project’s lifecycle.

“Bundling the technologies, which will be completely off-grid, is as close as you can get to an ideal sustainable solution,” adds Al-Mubarak.

The Amaala multi-utility project is expected to reach commercial operation in 2025, and the developer consortium aims to issue a limited notice to proceed as soon as an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor is finalised.

“We will not wait to reach financial close before mobilising for the project’s construction phase,” the executive says, without elaborating on a potential EPC contractor and battery energy provider.

Bundling the technologies, which will be completely off-grid, is as close as you can get to an ideal sustainable solution
Abdulaziz al-Mubarak, Masdar

C&I opportunities

Masdar expects to quadruple its employee headcount in Saudi Arabia by mid-2024, roughly two years after its local office was inaugurated in Riyadh.

In addition to responding to an accelerated pace of renewable energy tenders, both through the principal buyer, Saudi Power Procurement Company, and other clients such as Neom, Masdar intends to play a major role in Saudi Arabia’s nascent renewable energy commercial and industrial (C&I) sector.

Emerge, a joint venture with EDF, signed a cooperation agreement with Al-Watania Agriculture Company in May this year to develop a 30MW solar PV project in Al-Jouf.

It is one of several captive renewable energy projects that Masdar is actively pursuing in the kingdom.

“We are in negotiations with several large organisations to implement a total capacity of roughly 200MW,” explains Al-Mubarak.

MEED understands these C&I opportunities range from a few megawatts to up to 30MW. A recent regulation has enabled C&I projects in Saudi Arabia, creating multiple opportunities, especially for companies looking to decrease their energy consumption or offset their carbon emissions.

Al-Mubarak adds: “As a leading utility developer in Saudi Arabia, Masdar can offer techno-commercial competitive proposals. We are also very focused on local technology and knowledge transfer and have a robust training programme in place.”

Masdar, in partnership with EDF, has won one contract each in the second and third rounds of NREP. The 400MW Dumat al-Jandal wind project has been completed and work on the 300MW South Jeddah solar IPP is approaching completion. 

Robust market

According to Al-Mubarak, Saudi Arabia will continue to be an exciting market for Masdar in the coming years due to its robust ecosystem, talent, outstanding credit rating and transparent contracting regime.

As such, the possibility of Saudi Arabia continuing its track record of achieving world-record-low tariffs in solar and wind project tenders cannot be ruled out.

“World-record-low levelised electricity costs are a result of the input for each project. The kingdom offers robust contractual agreements, good pre-development work, and a robust local EPC ecosystem that these projects can tap,” explains Al-Mubarak.

With plans to install a total renewable energy capacity of up to 58,700MW by 2030, the kingdom could play a significant role in fulfilling Masdar’s vision to reach 100,000MW of renewable energy installed capacity by the end of the decade.

Al-Mubarak, however, stops short of specifying how much Saudi Arabia is expected to contribute to this overall target.

https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/11143157/main1905.jpg
Jennifer Aguinaldo

Register for MEED's guest program now to access this article.

Click here to register
Exclusive from Meed
Related Articles
  • Saudi firm signs $5.4bn oil and gas contract in Algeria

    15 October 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Algeria's national oil and gas company Sonatrach and Saudi Arabia-based Midad Energy have signed a hydrocarbons exploration and production sharing agreement related to Algeria’s Illizi South block.

    The agreement is valued at $5.4bn and has a duration of 30 years, with the option to be extended for an additional 10 years, according to a statement by Sonatrach.

    This contract was signed by Sonatrach CEO Rachid Hachichi and the CEO of Midad Energy North Africa, Sheikh Abdelilah Ben Mohamed Ben Abdellah Al-Aiban, at Sonatrach’s headquarters in Algiers.

    The investments for exploration and exploitation of the block, which is located about 100 kilometres south of In Amenas, will be financed entirely by Midad Energy and include $288m allocated for research investments.

    The contract has a research period of seven years and was singed within the framework of Algeria’s Law 19-13 for hydrocarbons, which came into effect in December 2019.

    ALSO READ: Algeria makes provisional award for downstream project

    In a statement, Sonatrach said: “The work programme associated with this contract will be implemented in strict compliance with environmental protection requirements and in accordance with applicable Algerian regulations.

    “This programme also includes the use of the latest technological and digital solutions,” it added.

    Projected production from the Illizi South offshore development by the end of the contractual period is estimated at 993 million barrels of oil equivalent, including 125 billion cubic metres of marketable gas and 204 million barrels of liquid fuels.

    The expected 204 million barrels of liquid fuels includes 103 million barrels of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and 101 million barrels of condensates.

    The latest contract signed by Sonatrach and Midad Energy follows on from an agreement protocol concluded between the two companies on 3 March 2024.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14866259/main1744.jpeg
    Wil Crisp
  • Indian company wins gas project contract in Kuwait

    15 October 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    State-owned upstream operator Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) has awarded a contract for its planned project to develop a gas sweetening and recovery facility in West Kuwait to Indian contractor Megha Engineering & Infrastructure (MEIL).

    Hyderabad-based MEIL submitted the lowest bid for the tender, at KD69.2m ($225.5m), in February this year.

    The full list of prices that were submitted was:

    • L1 – MEIL (India): KD69.2m
    • L2 – Al-Khorayef (Saudi Arabia): KD74.5m
    • L3 – Mechanical Engineering & Contracting Company (Kuwait): KD94.8m
    • L4 – China Oil HBP Science & Technology Corporation (China): KD97.9m
    • L5 – Spetco (Kuwait): KD99.5m
    • L6 – Jereh Oil & Gas Corporation (China): KD102.8m

    The project uses the build-operate-transfer contract model and has been split into two parts. KOC has informed contractors that the two stages will be performed independently.

    The project execution stage will cover:

    • Licensing
    • Design
    • Engineering
    • Health, safety and environment services
    • Project management
    • Supply
    • Shipment
    • Procurement
    • Construction
    • Testing
    • Mechanical completion
    • Pre-commissioning
    • Commissioning
    • Stabilisation
    • Performance testing of the facility

    The operation and maintenance stage will cover:

    • Operation and maintenance of the facility
    • Performance of all associated safety, quality control and environmental protection services
    • All other inherent and related obligations

    In November 2024, KOC's parent entity, Kuwait Petroleum Corpration (KPC), confirmed that it plans to spend $410bn on its long-term energy strategy.

    Bader Ebrahim Al-Attar, KPC’s managing director of planning and finance, said the company plans to spend the money until 2050.

    The strategy involves raising KPC’s overall oil production capacity to 4 million barrels a day by 2035.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14866258/main0806.jpg
    Wil Crisp
  • Firms submit interest for Saudi high-speed rail

    15 October 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Firms expressed interest on 12 October in the Qiddiya high-speed rail project, which will connect King Salman International airport and King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) in Riyadh with Qiddiya City.

    Saudi Arabia's Royal Commission for Riyadh City, in collaboration with Qiddiya Investment Company and the National Centre for Privatisation & PPP, issued the expression of interest notice to the market in September.

    Also known as Q-Express, the railway line will travel at speeds of up to 250 kilometres an hour, reaching Qiddiya in 30 minutes.

    The project was previously planned to be developed under a conventional model, but will now progress under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.

    The line is expected to be developed in two phases. The first phase will connect Qiddiya with KAFD and King Khalid International airport.

    The second phase will start from a development known as the North Pole – which is understood to include the Public Investment Fund’s proposed 2-kilometre-tall tower – and travel to the New Murabba development, King Salman Park, central Riyadh and Industrial City in the south of Riyadh. 

    In November 2023, MEED reported that French consultant Egis had been appointed as the technical adviser for the project.

    UK-based consultancy Ernst & Young is acting as the transaction adviser on the project. Latham & Watkins is the legal adviser.

    Qiddiya is one of Saudi Arabia’s five official gigaprojects and covers a total area of 376 square kilometres (sq km), with 223 sq km of developed land. 

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14867663/main.png
    Yasir Iqbal
  • Qatar’s Ashghal awards $305m road contracts

    15 October 2025

    Register for MEED’s 14-day trial access 

    Qatar’s Public Works Authority (Ashghal) has awarded two contracts worth over QR1.1bn ($305m) for the construction of roads and infrastructure networks in the Izghawa and Al-Themaid areas in the northwest of Doha.

    The contract for the first package, valued at over QR688m ($190m), was awarded to local firm Al-Mohannadi for Roads & Trading & Contracting.

    The contract for the second package was awarded to another local firm, Attikat. The value of the contract is QR418.4m ($115m).

    This project involves the construction of a single- and dual-carriageway road network in the area. 

    The scope includes the construction of carriageways, footpaths, parking areas, kerb lines, traffic signs and road markings, pedestrian guard rails, fencing, traffic signals, street lighting, landscaping and irrigation systems.

    The scope also involves surface/groundwater drainage systems, foul water drainage systems, treated sewage effluent irrigation, potable water network systems, electricity networks, a telecommunications infrastructure network and other associated facilities.

    The construction period is three years.

    The proposed development includes a residential area comprising over 1,262 housing plots, 133 utility plots, 32 government plots, 28 open spaces, four commercial centres, nine mosques, two transportation and four education facilities.

    In June 2022, Qatar’s Transport Ministry unveiled the Transportation Master Plan for Qatar 2050. The plan supports 286 projects, including 86 highway schemes, 22 for goods transport, 54 public transport schemes, 21 for pedestrians, 29 cycling schemes and 74 cross-modal and integration projects.

    The future highway schemes entail 37 infrastructure packages totalling 770 kilometres (km), 22 truck schemes and 10 infrastructure and facilities schemes. The public transport programme comprises 30 schemes for upgrading the main 540km public transport network.

    The masterplan also includes long-distance, metro and regional rail network plans.

    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14867823/main.jpg
    Yasir Iqbal
  • L&T announces UAE grid substation award

    14 October 2025

    Indian industrial contracting conglomerate Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has announced several new grid infrastructure orders, including the engineering, procurement and construction of a 400kV substation in the UAE.

    The facility, awarded to L&T's Power Transmission & Distribution business, forms part of the planned 400kV interconnection between Oman and the GCC grid.

    The interconnection will enable a direct 400kV link between Ibri in Oman and Al-Sila in the UAE. It involves around 528 kilometres of overhead transmission lines, expansion of the existing Al-Sila substation and the development of two new 400kV substations, one in each country.

    MEED understands the substation to be built by L&T is a planned 400kV intermediate substation near Madinat Zayed in the UAE.

    L&T also said it has secured an order for the construction of a series of 132kV substations in the Middle East to cater to rising power demand. No other details were given and it is unclear where these substations will be located.

    In Saudi Arabia, the company has received a contract for the construction of 380kV overhead transmission lines associated with the integration of renewable energy power plants.

    It is understood that these contracts are for Saudi Electricity Company's Al-Khurma 1 and Al-Khurma 2 projects in Mecca, for which L&T submitted the lowest bids earlier this year.

    ALSO READ: L&T announces QatarEnergy NGL train project award
    https://image.digitalinsightresearch.in/uploads/NewsArticle/14863247/main4046.jpg
    Mark Dowdall