In the last week of April, BYD Energy Storage shipped 120 units of its MC Cube-T battery energy storage systems (BESS) from Beibu Gulf Port in Guangxi, China. These are part of a 12.5 gigawatt-hour (GWh) project. This is a large-scale grid battery storage project being developed in Saudi Arabia.
According to the company, the full project will include 2,364 BESS cabinets. The project was agreed upon in January 2025 through a contract between BYD Energy Storage and the Saudi Electricity Company. BYD is responsible for the design, supply, installation supervision, testing, commissioning, and maintenance of the battery systems.
The battery units will be installed at locations across Saudi Arabia to support grid stability. These systems are designed to store energy and release it when needed, which is useful when integrating variable sources like solar and wind power into the grid.
Each MC Cube-T unit was built using BYD’s modular structure, which allows faster shipment and setup. The modular system also supports maintenance and replacement without dismantling entire units. The company noted that the project is being managed using its internal supply chain and lifecycle systems.
Alongside this project, other renewable energy initiatives are also ongoing in Saudi Arabia. For example, a 10 MW solar power plant in the town of Al-Hareeq was developed in partnership with a local agricultural cooperative. The project provides clean power to surrounding farms and water pumping stations.
In Jizan, a 5 MW pilot wind farm is operating with three turbines installed through a partnership between a local university and an international research group. The facility provides power to the nearby industrial park and is used for research on wind efficiency in desert conditions.
In AlUla, a 3.5 MW off-grid solar project is being used to supply power to heritage tourism sites. The installation includes battery storage and has reduced diesel use for power generation in the area.
