- A global-first initiative combining 250MW solar energy infrastructure with wildlife rewilding.
- 38 Sand gazelles introduced into the solar park as part of the Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve breeding program.
- Herd is expected to reach 600 animals by 2031.
- New model demonstrates how renewable energy and biodiversity conservation can advance together, delivering a double-green dividend.
Riyadh, 05 October 2026: Prince Mohammed bin Salman Royal Reserve is pioneering a global conservation first by breeding threatened gazelle within an operational solar park.
The 505ha facility is built and managed by the Amaala Sustainable Company for Energy (ASCE), a joint venture bringing together EDF Group and Masdar, alongside SUEZ and Korea East-West Power (EWP). While powering Red Sea Global's AMAALA destination with 100% renewable energy, the 250MW solar park also provides a protected environment in which Sand gazelles can breed and establish viable herds for future reintroduction into the wild.
This innovative approach, known as ReWildingVoltaics, creates a double-green dividend: generating decarbonized electricity while supporting biodiversity restoration.
Following a seven-month proof-of-concept exercise launched in October 2025 with Sand gazelle, Mountain gazelle and Arabian hare, the program entered its breeding phase in May 2026, with 33 female and five male Vulnerable Sand gazelles introduced into the solar plant. The first offspring are expected this December. Population modelling by the Reserve's Scientific Services Division indicates the herd will grow to around 600 by 2031. A minimum founder population of 500 is required for successful reintroduction into the 24,500km² Reserve.
Our rewilding goal is to build self-sustaining wildlife populations that can survive in the wild without ongoing human intervention. This collaborative innovation not only accelerates that work but also introduces a novel 'double-green' framework with global scalability. We are calling it 'ReWildingVoltaics.
The initiative supports the Saudi Green Initiative’s ambitions to protect 30% of the Kingdom’s land and sea and generate 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030, while progressing toward net-zero emissions by 2060. Saudi Arabia's protected-area footprint share has grown from 4.2% to 18.3% over the past decade.
This initiative demonstrates how renewable energy infrastructure can create value beyond the clean electricity it generates. By bringing biodiversity conservation into an operational solar facility, we are showing how energy infrastructure and nature can coexist. Through ASCE, EDF is proud to contribute to an innovative model that supports Saudi Arabia’s renewable energy and conservation ambitions, with the potential to inspire similar approaches beyond the Kingdom.
The proof of concept confirmed that the solar park can successfully support wildlife husbandry. Its predator-proof perimeter provides a controlled environment, while the solar panels create shade that reduces ground temperatures by approximately 5°C to 10°C. Some 73% of the 505ha site is usable habitat for captive breeding, comprising shaded areas under solar panels as well as open habitat with natural features, including rocky outcrops.
The protected environment has increased the Reserve’s husbandry capacity 15-fold and enables continuous monitoring of animal behavior, health and reproductive success by the Reserve’s specialist ranger team. Sand gazelles were selected for their ecological importance and suitability for the site. As grazers and browsers, they help manage vegetation, disperse seeds and contribute to restoring the Reserve’s natural food chain. Their size allows them to move freely beneath the solar panels without affecting the infrastructure.
Aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, ReWildingVoltaics goes beyond using solar sites as habitats for wildlife. It uses the protected environment created by renewable-energy infrastructure to develop founder populations for future reintroduction into the wider landscape.
Findings from this global-first program will inform future initiatives in other regions where large-scale renewable-energy infrastructure and wildlife restoration programs coexist.