UAE leads MENA region in renewable capacity with 6.3 GW installed

Dubai-based Dii Desert Energy said in a report that the UAE had the highest installed renewable energy capacity in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, reaching 6.3 GW. Egypt and Saudi Arabia followed with 4.6 GW and 4.5 GW, respectively. The UAE had more installed capacity than Egypt with fewer than half the projects, mainly due to the impact of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum (MBR) Solar Park, which significantly contributed to the country’s renewable energy capacity. The total installed solar PV capacity in MENA stood at 22.3 GW. At the end of 2024, the Dii database recorded more than 700 projects, greater than 5 MW, at various stages of development. Of these 714 projects, 467 were operational, 47 were under construction, 89 were in the development phase, and an additional 90 had been announced. In the construction phase, Saudi Arabia led with large-scale projects, including Al Shuaiba 2, the largest at 2,030 MW. Oman planned to increase capacity with the Manah 1 and 2 projects, each at 500 MW.