Saudi Arabia plans to produce 54 gigawatt (GW) of electricity from renewable energy sources, notably solar energy, by 2040, local media said quoting a United Nations report.
Some 41GW of electricity will be generated from solar energy (25GW of CSP and 16GW of PV) while the remaining 13GW will come from other sources such as geothermal, waste and wind power, the report said.
The 250-page report was issued by an agency affiliated with the United Nations Environment Program.
According to the report, renewable energy continued growth in 2015 while investments in this sector kept an upward trend and provided 19.1 percent of the world’s total energy consumption. 
Globally, green energy investments totaled $285.9 billion in 2015, compared to $270.2 billion, $232 billion, and $45 billion in 2014, 2013 and 2004, respectively, the report said.
Green energy investments in all parts of the world registered an increase in 2015, compared to figures of 2013, while investments in developing countries grew by 36 percent to $131.3 billion compared to figures of 2014, the report said.
Among Arab countries, Algiers plans to produce 22GW of electricity generated from renewable energy sources by 2030. 
Other Arab countries have plans to produce energy from renewable sources as follows: Morocco 6GW (2020), Egypt 4.12GW (2027), Jordan 2.8GW (2020), Kuwait 7.7GW (2030), Lebanon 1.1GW (2020), Qatar 1.8GW (2017), and Tunisia 1GW (2030), the report said.
In Saudi Arabia, King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) is leading the Kingdom’s drive toward diversification of energy sources, with special emphasis on solar energy.
In this context, the KACARE and the Asir Governorate recently signed a joint agreement on the development of renewable energy and converting solid waste into green energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel, which is a key element of Vision 2030 that aims to diversify the Saudi economy with sustainable development.
The agreement includes a number of important items such as converting municipal solid waste into electricity, developing green buildings, monitoring and measuring the sources of renewable energy in the Asir Region, and using the techniques of renewable energy in various applications such as lighting parks and streets.

Source: Arab News