Background:
Over recent decades, electricity consumption in Saudi Arabia has risen significantly, driven by population growth, rapid economic development, and expanding infrastructure. Despite the region's high solar radiation potential—particularly in the city of Najran- there has been little investigation into the feasibility of using solar power to meet the needs of near-zero energy communities.
Methods:
This study employs HOMER 2.68 software to perform a 3E (Energy-Economic-Environmental) analysis of a grid-connected solar power system with battery backup for a near-zero energy community in Najran.
Findings:
The results indicate that large-scale battery use is not economically viable in this location. To meet a daily energy demand of 18 MWh and a peak load of 2.2 MW, the optimal solution is a 50 MW solar power plant equipped with a 40 MW electric converter. This system can supply 98% of the community's energy needs. The levelized cost of electricity is $0.104 per kWh—24% lower than the global average. Additionally, the system would prevent the annual emission of over 57,400 tons of pollutants