- Foreword
An introduction to the Industrial Clusters program from president, Azzam Shalabi.
ObjectivesSpecific goals of the Industrial Clusters program.
OrganisationHow the program and individual clusters are structured.
ExpertiseSpecific areas of expertise and key people within the program.
PartnersOrganisations that work closely with and support Industrial Clusters.
- Strategic advantages
More about the many advantages KSA offers industrial investors.
InfrastructureAn overview of KSA’s modern and expanding industrial and business infrastructure.
Human capitalEducation, training and demographics of KSA’s world-class labour pool.
Investment incentives and supportA guide to the incentives and support available to industrial investors.
- Labour regulations
More about working practices and regulations in Saudi Arabia.
Trade agreementsSaudi Arabia is an active member in many trade organisations worldwide.
TaxationLearn about Saudi Arabia's highly favourable taxation and duty levies.
Setting up a businessHow Industrial Clusters can advise on establishing a business in KSA.
SAGIAThe Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority can facilitate investment and support.
- Minerals and Metal Processing cluster
The opportunities for metals and minerals industries and downstream applications.
Automotive clusterWhy KSA is well-placed to meet growing demand for vehicles and vehicle components.
Plastics and Packaging clusterHow plastics conversion builds upon the success of KSA’s petrochemicals industry.
Home Appliances clusterKSA’s resources can meet soaring demand for home appliances in the Middle East.
Solar Energy clusterMore about the potential for creating the components for and generating solar energy.
Other industriesBeyond the Industrial Clusters, KSA has a raft of long-established and successful industries.
Industrial Clusters program supportMore about the support Industrial Clusters can offer to industrial investors.
Advantages and opportunities
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's (KSA) Solar Energy cluster is one of five industrial clusters targeted for development in its Industrial Clusters program (IC). In this plan, KSA plans to develop:
- Solar power generation, both roof-top and in solar farms
- Solar products manufacturing in the crystalline silicon (C-Si) value chain (polycrystalline, monocrystalline and concentrated photovoltaics (CPV))
- Applied research (testing, performance and manufacturing methods)
In the area of solar energy production, Saudi Arabia benefits from intense solar irradiation of up to 7kWh/m2 per day, and minimal cloud cover. Covering 2 million sq km, KSA also has vast areas of flat land ready for development and well away from population centres.
Saudi Arabia requires large amounts of electricity to produce 24% of the world's desalinated water, mainly for human consumption but also for agriculture and industry. KSA's demand for water is rising by 3.3% a year.
On a wider level, Saudi Arabia's economy is growing by 5%-6% a year, buoyed by its rapidly expanding industrial and service sectors.
As a result, Saudi Arabia's annual electricity consumption of 204,200 GWh is increasing by 4.7% a year. Electricity demand is expected to grow by 200% between 2009 and 2032.
By 2020 up to 10% of KSA's electricity is projected to come from renewable sources, almost all of this solar. With installed solar capacity expected to grow to 8-10 GW over this period, employment in the solar sector is forecast to rise to 3,000 by 2013 and 50,000 by 2020.
In addition to these opportunities, Saudi Arabia offers investors the stable, pro-business environment, natural resources, raw materials and expertise required.
KSA's readily available inputs include:
- Aluminium
- Steel
- Technical gases
- Plastics
- Electronic components
- Cable
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