This morning, Monday, “Energy” reported that countries that both produce and import energy are moving to enhance their industrial capabilities to meet the growing local and regional demand for solar panels, wind turbines, and green hydrogen production equipment. The aim of this trend is to diversify the economy, achieve supply security, reduce dependence on imports, create new job opportunities, and enhance export capacity. The installed solar power capacity in the Middle East and the North Africa region increased by 25% in 2024, reaching 24 gigawatts, with expectations to exceed 180 gigawatts by 2030, according to the platform.
There is an urgent need to develop an integrated industrial base that supports clean energy projects, highlighting the role of manufacturing renewable energy equipment in Arab countries as one of the most important axes of energy transformation. Jordan is among the first Arab countries to venture into manufacturing through “Philadelphia Solar,” founded in 2007, producing 500 megawatts annually. Saudi Arabia entered the Arab nations early by establishing the “Masdar” factory in Tabuk, with a capacity of 1.2 gigawatts annually, alongside the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology factory, which produces about 35,000 solar panels annually.
Morocco is strengthening its position in manufacturing renewable energy equipment through specialized factories, most notably the “Siemens Gamesa” factory in Tangier for producing wind turbine blades, and the Chinese “Aeolon” factory in Nador with a $245 million investment. The UAE combines the expansion in solar energy and hydrogen projects, being one of the most dynamic countries in the energy sector, while Tunisia’s “Alfanis” company opened a new unit increasing solar panel production capacity from 150 to 750 megawatts. Oman launched “Shida,” beginning the construction of the first solar panel factory on a 11,250 square meter area, while Egypt has witnessed a significant boom in energy equipment manufacturing in recent years, as has Algeria.
