Nextpower and Abunayyan Holding Launch Saudi-Based Joint Venture to Scale Solar Across MENA

Nextpower , formerly known as Nextracker, and Abunayyan Holding have completed the incorporation of their previously announced joint venture, Nextpower Arabia, headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The new entity aims to accelerate the deployment of utility-scale solar power plants across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, supporting national renewable energy goals and Net Zero targets.

As part of the joint venture, the partners announced plans to establish an advanced manufacturing facility in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Nextpower Arabia will supply solar tracker systems, yield management solutions, and control technologies for large-scale solar projects across the region.

The manufacturing facility, currently under construction on a 42,000-square-metre site, is expected to begin operations in the second quarter of 2026. Once operational, it is projected to deliver up to 12 GW of annual manufacturing and localized supply chain capacity, support the creation of up to 2,000 jobs, and employ up to 600 people. The facility will manufacture Nextpower’s full portfolio of solar tracking systems.

Khalid Abunayyan, Chairman of Abunayyan Holding, said the partnership aligns with the company’s core focus on making energy and water supply sustainable, accessible, and affordable, while supporting Saudi Arabia’s clean energy ambitions through localized manufacturing and capacity building.

Dan Shugar, Founder and CEO of Nextpower, said Saudi Arabia represents a strategic market for the company’s expansion in the Middle East, adding that the partnership with Abunayyan Holding strengthens Nextpower’s ability to deliver advanced solar technologies through trusted local collaboration.

Turki Al-Amri, CEO of Abunayyan Holding and Chairman and CEO of Nextpower Arabia, said the manufacturing facility marks the first step in a broader strategy to localize the solar supply chain across the MENA region. He added that sourcing materials locally and manufacturing in the Kingdom will support economic diversification and industrial growth under Saudi Vision 2030.

Nextpower Arabia combines Abunayyan Holding’s regional expertise—built over more than 75 years of developing and operating critical water and energy infrastructure—with Nextpower’s global leadership in solar tracking technology. U.S.-headquartered Nextpower has more than 150 GW of solar trackers either operational or under fulfilment across over 45 countries, including more than 6 GW of projects in the Middle East and Africa.

These projects include Phase V of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park in the UAE and several landmark developments in Saudi Arabia, such as the 405 MWp Sakaka Solar Park, the Kingdom’s first utility-scale solar project, along with the Al Kahfah, Tabarjal, and Sudair solar projects.

The joint venture is positioned to support Saudi Arabia’s National Renewable Energy Program, which targets a significant increase in the share of renewables in the country’s energy mix by 2030. According to the Middle East Solar Industry Association’s 2025 Solar Outlook Report, regional solar capacity is projected to exceed 180 GW by 2030, driven by improving cost competitiveness and government-backed clean energy strategies.

To support this growth, Abunayyan Holding and Nextpower plan to invest approximately $88 million (around SAR 330 million) in equity and public and private debt financing over the next two years. The funding will be used to develop the manufacturing facility and build advanced technical and engineering capabilities to support large-scale solar deployment across the region.