Abstract

This paper focuses on identifying and addressing the challenges hindering renewable energy development in Saudi Arabia. A literature review and expert insights pinpointed seven key obstacles: lack of a stable investment climate, political instability, technical expertise, limited institutional capacity, varying environmental conditions, dependence on fossil fuel, and limited public awareness. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to prioritize these challenges, revealing that limited public awareness is the most crucial barrier and varying environmental conditions are followed. To counter these challenges, the paper proposes seven strategies: encouraging private sector investment, providing financial incentives, strengthening the regulatory framework, developing a skilled workforce, promoting public awareness, collaborating with international organizations, and implementing policies. The effectiveness of these strategies was assessed using the combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) method, which highlighted policy implementation as the foremost approach. This research aims to guide decision-makers in Saudi Arabia in effectively allocating resources and making informed decisions to facilitate the growth of renewable energy.This paper focuses on identifying and addressing the challenges hindering renewable energy development in Saudi Arabia. A literature review and expert insights pinpointed seven key obstacles: lack of a stable investment climate, political instability, technical expertise, limited institutional capacity, varying environmental conditions, dependence on fossil fuel, and limited public awareness. The analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was employed to prioritize these challenges, revealing that limited public awareness is the most crucial barrier and varying environmental conditions are followed. To counter these challenges, the paper proposes seven strategies: encouraging private sector investment, providing financial incentives, strengthening the regulatory framework, developing a skilled workforce, promoting public awareness, collaborating with international organizations, and implementing policies. The effectiveness of these strategies was assessed using the combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) method, which highlighted policy implementation as the foremost approach. This research aims to guide decision-makers in Saudi Arabia in effectively allocating resources and making informed decisions to facilitate the growth of renewable energy.