LONDON: Saudi Arabia is set to boost its renewables expansion fivefold over the next six years, leading regional efforts to grow clean energy sources, the International Energy Agency said.

The Kingdom added a record 9 gigawatts of renewable electricity capacity in 2025 and is expected to expand that figure to 60GW by 2031, according to the IEA’s annual renewables report.

The projected increase represents half of the expansion forecast for the entire Middle East and North Africa region, where renewable energy sources are set to triple in that time.

The rapid growth of renewables is a “structural step-change in the region’s energy market,” the report said.

The expansion is being led by solar, which will account for almost 80 percent of the 122GW of capacity additions forecast for the region up to 2031.

The report, which was published on Friday, predicts that the UAE will become the world's biggest generator of solar electricity per capita. Oman and Qatar will also be among the top ten nations for solar electricity generation by 2031.

Saudi Arabia aims to produce 50 percent of its electricity capacity from renewable sources under the Vision 2030 reform program.