Maaden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC), a subsidiary of Saudi Arabian Mining Company (Maaden), has entered into a 30-year Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Emerge, the joint venture between Masdar and EDF. Under the agreement, Emerge will develop a solar power plant to supply clean energy to Maaden’s Al Baitha Bauxite Mine.
The project will feature an 8 MWp ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system paired with a 30 MWh battery energy storage unit, enabling continuous and reliable renewable power. Expected to produce about 17,300 MWh of electricity annually, the facility will cut nearly 13,800 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year—equivalent to taking more than 3,000 cars off the road. This will allow the mine to run almost entirely on renewable energy, making it one of the first large-scale mining operations in the region powered predominantly by clean sources.
Delivered on a full turnkey basis, Emerge will manage financing, design, procurement, construction, operations, and maintenance of the project. The initiative supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals by advancing the Kingdom’s clean energy transition, reducing industrial emissions, and promoting sustainable economic development.
Ali Al-Qahtani, executive vice president of Maaden’s aluminum business, said the partnership underlines the company’s ambition to integrate renewables into its operations while delivering long-term benefits to both industry and local communities. Abdulaziz Alobaidli, chairman of Emerge and COO of Masdar, highlighted that the deal shows how Emerge provides cost-effective pathways for industries to decarbonize, while Omar Aldaweesh, CEO KSA of EDF Group, emphasized that the project demonstrates how sustainability and industrial growth can move forward together.
