Integrating Clean Energy and Digital Innovation for a Sustainable Energy Ecosystem: Toward a Low-Carbon Future in Saudi Arabia

In line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, the urgent global demand for decarbonization, energy security, and sustainable development has accelerated the convergence of clean energy systems with advanced digital technologies. This integration holds the potential to reshape energy ecosystems through smart grids, AI-driven optimization, decentralized generation, and enhanced system intelligence. This study identifies and prioritizes key enabling factors and sub-factors for successfully integrating clean energy and digital innovation, focusing on four dimensions, i.e., technological innovation, renewable energy deployment, institutional capacity, and policy support. This study employs the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method to determine the relative importance of each enabler and its sub-factor in supporting low-carbon energy transition pathways in Saudi Arabia. The AHP results reveal that renewable energy integration, technological innovation, and policy and regulatory framework are the most suited enabling factors for transition to low-carbon development in Saudi Arabia. This research is useful for policymakers, energy planners, and stakeholders aiming to accelerate the energy transition for sustainable development.