Two-fifths of Saudi households want to switch to solar power

The General Authority for Statistics in Saudi Arabia has released energy consumption data in households, which showed that more than two-fifths (40.8 per cent) of Saudi residents want to use solar energy as the primary power source at home.

This was part of the finding in the Authority’s 2024 Household Energy Statistics. The data is based on field and phone surveys conducted by the Authority, as well as administrative records from the Ministry of Energy, ensuring accuracy and reliability to support national household energy policies.

In terms of energy efficiency, 91.5 per cent of households said they place strong importance on reducing electricity consumption, while 91.9 per cent reported adhering to energy-saving guidelines when using electrical appliances. More than half the respondents (56.6 per cent) said they are willing to replace older appliances with more energy-efficient alternatives.

The Authority reported that total residential electricity consumption across the Kingdom reached 161,207 gigawatt-hours, with every single person in the country having access to electricity.

For cooking, gas (86.4 per cent) was the preferred source, while 13.4 per cent used electricity. Most households (97 per cent) depended on gas cylinders, while 2.7 per cent used gas tanks. The majority, 93.9 per cent, used iron cylinders, compared with 5.6 per cent who preferred fiber cylinders.