BENEFIT FROM SOLAR RADIATION AS ALTERNATIVE ENERGY IN RIYADH REGION IN SAUDI ARABIA

The studied sites in the Riyadh region are characterized by a great abundance of natural and human resources throughout the year. So, they are qualified to invest solar energy as one of the most important sources of natural alternative energy, due to the abundance of solar radiation regularly during the year and its high intensity especially in the summer. This season is the period of the maximum demand for electric power.
Solar energy is regularly available in the Riyadh area during 4380 hours of solar brightness per year at the studied sites. The solar energy of the Riyadh region during this period can provide a huge potential for electricity production with the renewable energy technologies and projects. So, the alternative solar energy can be required without high costs compared to the traditional energy resources draining most state budget and causing the large environment pollution.
The production of electricity as an alternative renewable energy resource to traditional energy resources is one of the priorities of the future projects in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which seeks to diversify its sources of energy by providing the maximum of the alternative energy. This alternative option has become the priority of sustainable development, which aims to preserve human and natural resources with reducing the electricity production cost. This option make possible the gradual absorption of traditional energy sources polluting the environment and threatened with depletion.