Design and economic assessment of alternative renewable energy systems using capital cost projections: A case study for Saudi Arabia

•New ground-based data for wind & solar in Saudi Arabia are used to calculate LCOE.•Seven sites for off-grid projects are investigated.•PV/wind/battery, wind/battery and PV/battery hybrid systems are assessed.•In 2019, PV/wind/battery systems in Yanbu and Sharurah had the lowest LCOE i.e. $0.112/kWh and $0.118/kWh respectively.•In 2025 PV/battery systems in Al-Jouf and Jeddah have the lowest LCOE ($0.711/kWh).