Citing government officials, on Monday the US business daily The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that Saudi plans to build the world's largest solar power generation facility had been shelved, as the desert kingdom was working on a "broader, more practical strategy to boost renewable energy."

The project was expected to generate about 200 gigawatts of energy by 2030 — more than three times the country's daily requirement.

"It is easy to sway or grab one's attention, but difficult to do any execution," WSJ quoted a senior adviser to the Saudi government as saying. Now, no one was actively working on the project, the source added.

SoftBank, a partner in the $200 billion (€172.4 billion) project, was not immediately available for comment.