Renewable Portfolio Standard Development Assessment in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the Perspective of Policy Networks Theory

Abstract

Electricity generation from renewable energy (RE) sources has not been well utilized in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). KSA has publicized its Vision 2030 renewable energy target to deploy 58.7 gigawatts of RE, paving the way for a low-carbon economy in the country. Renewable portfolio standard (RPS) may play an influential role as a policy instrument to stimulate the RE development and consumption on a large scale and pursue the Vision 2030 objectives. In this study, the renewable portfolio standards policy assessment was carried out to investigate the issues impelling the employment of or plan to adopt RPS. To elucidate the collaborating interaction amongst the multiple stakeholders at different levels in the formulation of renewable portfolio standard, in this assessment study, we used a multi-theoretical approach for examining the policy networks theory (PNT) to inspect the communication links and strategies of different actors who are responsible and involved in KSA policy formulation and enactment. It will help overcome the interaction limitations amongst the actors, contribute to understanding various actors’ behaviors and facilitate RPS development and implementation. In this paper, PNT’s four strategy phases (interaction, agenda-setting, action plan and legislative) are used for RPS development assessment. In this paper, we presented KSA’s overall systematic picture for RPS formulation to adopt and implement it practically for a collaborative relationship between five actors—policy and regulatory bodies, professional bodies, inter-governmental bodies, power producers and social networks—at different levels by using PNT to analyze the interactive relationship amongst actors. This detailed analysis will help KSA overcome the institutional relationship and interaction limitations of the actors in RPS formulation and thereby offer significant success for RE deployment in KSA, while providing viable ideas, procedures and bases for government departments to formulate applicable policies for the renewable energy system efficiently. The evaluation of the communications among major partakers in the policy network field helps to efficiently explicate the hindrances in policy formulation and enactment to make the RPS more effective.

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“…Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan aligns with this global trend by aiming to diversify its economy and reduce its reliance on oil through the development of renewable energy sources, particularly solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. Saudi Arabia has set a target of producing 58.7 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, comprising 40 GW from solar PV, 16 GW from wind energy, and 2.7 GW from concentrated solar power (CSP) [6][7][8], as illustrated in Figure 2. Thus, its commitment to renewable energy development could serve as a model for other countries seeking to transition to clean energy.…”

“…This research article presents an analysis of the progress made in the deployment of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in Saudi Arabia, highlighting the country's ambitious targets and the policies and initiatives that have facilitated the growth of the PV sector in recent years. This study provides insights into the challenges and opportunities of Saudi Arabia has set a target of producing 58.7 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, comprising 40 GW from solar PV, 16 GW from wind energy, and 2.7 GW from concentrated solar power (CSP) [6][7][8], as illustrated in Figure 2. Thus, its commitment to renewable energy development could serve as a model for other countries seeking to transition to clean energy.…”

“…The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a diverse topographical position, and therefore the exploration of RETs is of interest; for instance, due to the abundance of sunlight, it is an ideal location for solar energy production [9,10]. Saudi Arabia has set a target of producing 58.7 gigawatts of renewable energy by 2030, comprising 40 GW from solar PV, 16 GW from wind energy, and 2.7 GW from concentrated solar power (CSP) [6][7][8], as illustrated in Figure 2. Thus, its commitment to renewable energy development could serve as a model for other countries seeking to transition to clean energy.…”

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