Utilization of Smart Grid and Renewable Energy toward a Sustainable Future in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is currently the largest oil producing and oil-exporting country in the world, but it also has a strong potential for renewable energy, particularly solar energy as it receives a significant amount of sunlight during most of the year. As demand for electricity increases with increasing population, energy becomes one of the main challenges in Saudi Arabia. As a result, infrastructure for different energy resources needs to be developed and integrated smartly into the country’s electricity grid. This paper discusses the reasons to implement smart grid in Saudi Arabia, and the challenges and opportunities of utilizing renewable energy in conjunction with smart grid.