Abstract
Saudi Arabia’s substantial reliance on fossil fuel-based electrical power generation, combined with rapid growth in population and rising expectations for improved living standards, has led to significant greenhouse gas emissions. Saudi Arabia’s energy consumption is anticipated to escalate to 133 GW by 2030, an increase from 84 GW in 2020. The nation intends to produce 50% of its power from green energy by 2030, therefore diminishing its dependence on petroleum and coal. The Saudi government has launched initiatives such as the King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy (KACARE) to promote renewable and nuclear energy, but their effectiveness is hindered by factors such as high temperatures, dust storms, and the management of nuclear waste. Wave energy represents a promising renewable energy resource for environmentally sustainable electricity generation; however, its practical deployment in Saudi Arabia depends on site-specific resource conditions, technology maturity, technoeconomic performance, and supportive policy frameworks. Exploring the Saudi clean energy potential from wave energy along the Red Sea coast (Jeddah, Rabigh, and Yanbu) and the Arabian Gulf coast (Dammam, Jubail, and Khafji) is the main goal of this work. The Red Sea exhibits significant wave heights reaching approximately 3 m under energetic sea states, indicating favorable wave resource conditions for future wave energy development. By reducing reliance on fossil fuel sources and creating a more varied and robust energy infrastructure wave energy may be incorporated into the energy mix to help achieve the objectives of Vision 2030. This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of the current state of wave energy research relevant to Saudi Arabia by integrating resource assessment, technology evaluation, technoeconomic analysis, environmental considerations, and deployment strategies within a unified review framework. The findings identify critical research gaps and provide practical recommendations to support future pilot-scale demonstrations, technology development, and policy planning for marine renewable energy deployment in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, this review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the current literature on wave energy technologies, technoeconomic assessment, environmental considerations, and deployment opportunities relevant to Saudi Arabia coastal areas.