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Solar data for Saudi Arabia

Across the 96 places in Saudi Arabia the best fixed tilt for solar panels runs from 17° in Şabyā to 28° in Ţurayf, and flat ground gets 5.2 to 6.6 peak sun hours a day. Every number is computed for each place.

Solar power in Saudi Arabia at a glance

Averages over 96 places with climate data, for a fixed array facing south.

Best panel angle22°average, facing south
Peak sun hours6.08a day on flat ground
1 kWp makes1,871kWh a year at the best angle
Off-grid angle32°average, for the darkest month
JeddahAl Mash‘ilīyah (most sun)
  • 5.24–5.51
  • 5.51–5.78
  • 5.78–6.06
  • 6.06–6.33
  • 6.33–6.60

Peak sun hours a day on flat ground. Each dot is one place.

The sunniest place in Saudi Arabia is Al Mash‘ilīyah (Najran Region) with 6.60 peak sun hours a day on flat ground; the least sunny is Al Khafjī with 5.24. A 1 kWp array at its best angle makes from 1,608 kWh a year in Al Khafjī to 2,034 kWh in Tabuk — 1,871 kWh on average.

The best year-round tilt runs from 17° in Şabyā to 28° in Ţurayf. Off-grid systems are sized for the darkest month and do better steeper, at 32° on average: at 70° that month brings 1.73 kWh per kWp a day in Jizan and 2.83 kWh in Ţurayf.

Size an off-grid system or open any place below for its sun path, monthly table and tilt curve.

Sunniest places in Saudi Arabia

Ranked by peak sun hours on flat ground: the yearly average of a day's sunshine energy (NASA POWER climatology). Output: 1 kWp at its best year-round angle.

RankPlaceRegionSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tilt
1Al Mash‘ilīyahNajran Region6.601,99919°
2As SulayyilRiyadh Region6.541,97620°
3NajrānNajran Region6.501,97519°
4Qal‘at Bīshah'Asir Region6.381,95020°
4LayláRiyadh Region6.381,94021°
6Ranyah'Asir Region6.361,93821°
7TabukTabuk Region6.332,03426°
7Al KhurmahMecca Region6.331,93621°
9Sarāt ‘Abīdah'Asir Region6.321,92719°
10Al-`UlaMedina Region6.311,98725°

Least sunny places in Saudi Arabia

RankPlaceRegionSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tilt
92TārūtEastern Province5.501,68223°
93Al JubaylEastern Province5.481,68223°
93RaḩīmahEastern Province5.481,67823°
93Ras TanuraEastern Province5.481,67723°
96Al KhafjīEastern Province5.241,60824°

Solar by region in Saudi Arabia

Averages of the places in each region, sunniest first. Darkest month: what 1 kWp of off-grid panels at 70° makes a day in the worst month of the year.

RegionPlacesSun hours/daykWh per kWp a yearBest tiltDarkest month at 70°Sunniest place
Najran Region26.551,98719°1.92 kWhAl Mash‘ilīyah
Riyadh Region126.271,92422°2.24 kWhAs Sulayyil
'Asir Region86.261,90119°1.92 kWhQal‘at Bīshah
Tabuk Region56.261,96725°2.37 kWhTabuk
Medina Region66.221,91623°2.20 kWhAl-`Ula
Mecca Region116.201,87020°2.00 kWhAl Khurmah
Al-Qassim Region96.191,92224°2.36 kWhAr Rass
Ha'il Region36.181,95425°2.50 kWhHa'il
Al Bahah Region46.171,87320°1.96 kWhAl ‘Aqīq
Jazan Region66.111,81817°1.75 kWhFayfā’
Al Jawf Region46.061,96027°2.71 kWhḨaql
Northern Borders Region35.911,91828°2.82 kWhŢurayf
Eastern Province235.711,75323°2.49 kWhKing Khalid Military City

Largest places in Saudi Arabia at a glance

PlaceLatitudeBest tiltOff-grid tiltSun hours/day (flat)
Jeddah21.5° N20°30°6.14
Riyadh24.7° N23°32°6.20
Makkah21.4° N20°29°6.24
Madinah24.5° N23°32°6.22
Dammam26.4° N23°43°5.51
Sulţānah24.5° N23°32°6.22
Buraydah26.3° N24°37°6.18
Ta’if21.3° N20°27°6.27
Tabuk28.4° N26°36°6.33
Ha'il27.5° N25°37°6.21
Najrān17.5° N19°11°6.50
Al Kharj24.2° N23°31°6.25
Khamis Mushait18.3° N19°14°6.26
Al Hufūf25.4° N23°35°6.05
Al Mubarraz25.4° N23°35°6.04
Hafar Al-Batin28.4° N25°43°5.94
Al Jubayl27.0° N23°45°5.48
Şabyā17.1° N17°15°6.08
Abha18.2° N19°15°6.19
Yanbu24.1° N22°33°6.17

Daylight and clock time in Saudi Arabia

In Turaif (31.7° N), the northernmost place, the longest day of the year lasts 14 h 13 min and the shortest 10 h 05 min; in Şāmitah (16.6° N), the southernmost, 13 h 07 min and 11 h 08 min. Saudi Arabia does not use daylight saving time: the clocks stay the same all year.

Time zonePlacesUTC offsetClocks change in 2026
Asia/Riyadh96UTC+3no daylight saving time

Questions about solar in Saudi Arabia

What is the best angle for solar panels in Saudi Arabia?
Facing south, between 17° and 28° depending on the place — 22° on average over 96 places. Off-grid systems that must get through the darkest month do better steeper, at about 32° on average.
How many peak sun hours does Saudi Arabia get?
From 5.2 hours a day in Al Khafjī to 6.6 in Al Mash‘ilīyah on flat ground, averaged over the year; 6.1 on average.
How much electricity does 1 kWp of solar panels produce in Saudi Arabia?
About 1,871 kWh a year at the best fixed angle on average, from 1,608 kWh in Al Khafjī to 2,034 kWh in Tabuk. These are long-term climate averages; a single year can be several per cent higher or lower.
Where is the sunniest place in Saudi Arabia?
Al Mash‘ilīyah (Najran Region) gets the most sun of the 96 places: 6.60 peak sun hours a day on flat ground, so 1 kWp there makes about 1,999 kWh a year.
Does Saudi Arabia use daylight saving time?
Saudi Arabia does not use daylight saving time: the clocks stay the same all year.
How long is the longest day in Saudi Arabia?
14 h 13 min in Ţurayf; the shortest day lasts 10 h 05 min in Turaif.

All places in Saudi Arabia

Northern Borders Region