Prince Mohammed bin Salman Reserve Sets a Global Precedent for Breeding the Sand Gazelle Using Solar Energy

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The Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve has recorded a new global precedent in the field of environmental conservation and wildlife protection, following its success in launching a program to breed the endangered sand gazelle within the scope of a 250-megawatt solar power station, in an innovative model that integrates the development of renewable energy infrastructure with the protection of biodiversity.

This initiative, named "ReWildingVoltaics," is in collaboration with the "Amala Sustainable Energy" (ASCE) company, which is a coalition consisting of the "EDF" and "Masdar" groups, along with "SUEZ" and Korea's "East-West Power" (EWP). The station spans an area of 505 hectares and provides 100% clean energy to the "Amala" destination of the Red Sea International Company.

After a successful seven-month trial period that concluded in October 2025, the program moved to the actual breeding phase in May 2026, introducing 38 sand gazelles, including 33 females and 5 males, to the station site.

Scientific estimates indicate that the first young of the herd are expected to be born next December, with the aim of increasing their numbers to about 600 gazelles by 2031. The success of the reintroduction in the reserve, which covers an area of 24,500 square kilometers, requires the establishment of a founding group of no less than 500 gazelles.

The CEO of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve Development Authority, Andrew Zaloumis, explained that the goal of the wildlife rewilding initiative is to build self-sustaining populations of wildlife that can survive in the wild without the need for continuous human intervention.

He added that this collaborative innovation not only accelerates wildlife rewilding efforts but also provides a new framework for achieving a scalable and globally applicable double environmental return, noting that this approach has been named "ReWildingVoltaics," an innovative concept that utilizes solar energy infrastructure to support the breeding and reintroduction of wildlife into the wild.

The CEO of the "EDF" Group in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Omar Al-Duwesh, confirmed that the initiative demonstrates the potential for renewable energy infrastructure to deliver value beyond just producing clean electricity.

He stated that integrating biodiversity conservation into a solar power plant proves that energy infrastructure can coexist with nature, noting that "EDF," through its company "Amala Sustainable Energy," is proud to contribute to an innovative model that supports Saudi Arabia's ambitions in renewable energy and nature conservation, while also having the potential to inspire similar initiatives outside the Kingdom.

The station provides a safe environment for breeding, as the surrounding fence has protected the animals from predators, while the solar panels have helped reduce surface temperatures by about 5 to 10 degrees Celsius by providing shade, which has increased the site's capacity for animal care and breeding by 15 times.

The station also allows a specialized team of environmental inspectors in the reserve to continuously monitor the behavior, health, and breeding success of the animals.

The sand gazelle was chosen for its ecological importance and suitability to the nature of the site. As it feeds on grasses and shrubs, it contributes to managing the vegetation cover, dispersing seeds, and restoring the natural food chain in the reserve. Its size also allows it to move freely under the solar panels without affecting the infrastructure.

In line with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the "ReWildingVoltaics" approach goes beyond the concept of using solar energy sites as habitats for wildlife. It utilizes the protected environment provided by renewable energy infrastructure to establish foundational groups of animals, paving the way for their future reintroduction into their broader natural range.

This step supports the targets of the "Saudi Green Initiative" to protect 30% of land and marine areas and generate 50% of electricity from renewable sources by 2030, in addition to increasing the percentage of protected areas in the Kingdom, which has risen from 4.2% to 18.3% over the past decade.