Aug. 27, 2025 - A unit of Saudi mining company Maaden has signed a deal with Abu Dhabi-based solar firm Emerge to power its Al Baitha bauxite mine in eastern Saudi Arabia with solar energy.

Emerge, a joint venture between Abu Dhabi clean energy company Masdar and France’s EDF, will develop, build and operate an 8-MWp solar photovoltaic plant with a 30-MWh battery energy storage system to secure uninterrupted power supply for the bauxite mine.

Maaden signs deal with Emerge to supply renewable energy at Al-Baitha

The project is expected to generate about 17,300 MWh of electricity a year and cut around 13,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, Maaden said on Wednesday. The facility will allow the mine to operate almost entirely on renewable energy, representing a significant step towards more sustainable mining operations.

The power purchase agreement (PPA) for the project was signed with Maaden Bauxite and Alumina Company (MBAC) and runs for 30 years.

Al Baitha is an open-pit mine in the Qassim province with a large annual capacity for bauxite ore. The ore is transported via rail to Ras Al Khair, where it is refined into over 1 million tonnes per annum of aluminium.