International engineering company Assystem has been appointed by ENOWA (NEOM) to conduct a suite of pre-development studies for seven planned solar photovoltaic parks in Saudi Arabia.
The projects in the Tabuk and Duba regions will directly contribute to NEOM’s vision to become the world’s most advanced renewable energy hub and the first at-scale fully renewable electrical system.
Under the agreement, Assystem will deploy its experts to provide a range of services, which include a site assessment study, preliminary design of parks and master planning, environmental baseline surveys, an environmental and social impact assessment, and permitting reports.
Within this scope, various studies such as geotechnical, geophysical, topographical, hydrological, glint and glare, and corrosion assessments, energy yield calculations, and advanced design of the parks will be conducted.
The sites earmarked to host the solar parks stretch over 420 square kilometres, potentially amounting to more than 20GW (accounting for around 65% of land use) in energy generating capacity.
Assystem’s global head of siting and environmental services Kerem Sadiklar said: “This project marks one of the first steps towards realising the deployment of solar PV on a truly massive scale – directly contributing to NEOM’s ambitious 100% renewable energy goal.
“Assystem is proud to be delivering its high-quality siting and environmental services on behalf of such an exciting and significant initiative.”