MENA Region to Add 860 GW of Solar Power by 2040

The Middle East and North Africa region is gearing up for one of the world's biggest solar energy booms, and the timing couldn't be better for the planet.

A new report from DNV reveals the MENA region will add a massive 860 gigawatts of solar power between now and 2040. That's more than eleven times the solar capacity the region had in 2024, when it stood at just 76 gigawatts supplying 4% of electricity needs.

The region has a secret advantage that makes this growth particularly exciting. Peak solar production happens exactly when people need the most electricity, both during hot afternoons and scorching summer months, thanks to the massive demand for air conditioning and cooling.

Solar capacity is expected to double by the end of 2026 to 154 gigawatts, then double again to 343 gigawatts by 2029. At that point, nearly one in five lights in the region will be powered by sunshine.

The projects are getting bigger and smarter too. By the end of this decade, 80% of new utility scale solar farms will be larger than one gigawatt, up from just 20% at the start of the decade.

Half of these massive solar installations will be paired with battery storage by 2044, ensuring the lights stay on even after sunset. The region's energy storage capacity is expected to grow one hundred fold by 2045, reaching 9.5 terawatt hours by 2060.

The Ripple Effect

This solar revolution will touch nearly every part of daily life in the region. Buildings will run on clean energy, desalination plants will create fresh water without fossil fuels, and eventually electric vehicles and green hydrogen production will drive even more clean energy demand.

By 2060, an astounding 92% of the region's electricity will come from non fossil sources, up from just 14% today. The region's relatively new electrical grid means this rapid expansion can happen without the bottlenecks slowing down renewable growth in other parts of the world.

Between 2040 and 2060, another 2.2 terawatts of solar and wind capacity will be added as the region becomes a global leader in clean energy production.

The MENA region is proving that sunshine isn't just free energy, it's the future.