The first batch of wind turbines arrived at what Saudi officials described as the world’s largest green hydrogen factory, in the futuristic city of NEOM in the northwest of the kingdom, the project’s CEO told AFP on Tuesday.
David Edmondson, CEO of NEOM Green Hydrogen, said: “This week we received our first batch of wind turbines; “It has already arrived at NEOM port, and will be delivered to the site this weekend.”
Edmondson added that around 30 turbines are expected to be delivered by the end of the year along with the project’s first solar panels, laying the foundation for the production of around 600 tonnes of green hydrogen per day.
Hydrogen fuel is produced through the electrolysis of water, and is considered “green” only if the necessary electricity is obtained from renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar energy.
Technical challenges, high costs and lack of infrastructure have slowed the progress of the clean hydrogen sector, although Saudi officials see it as a promising solution in the fight against climate change and the transition away from fossil fuels.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest exporter of crude oil, was keen to promote its sustainability intentions ahead of the COP28 climate talks that start next week in Dubai.
Edmondson was speaking to Agence France-Presse on the sidelines of Climate Week in the Middle East and North Africa, a conference organized by the United Nations in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and some participants jokingly referred to it as “COP 27.5.”
Other announcements at the conference include a local plan to allow companies to buy credits to offset greenhouse gas emissions, and a “road map” to plant 10 billion trees across the desert kingdom. However, Saudi officials have come under fire from environmentalists for their calls for increased investments in fossil fuels, which they say are necessary to ensure energy security.
This is an approach that is supported by Sultan Al Jaber, President of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), and Chairman of the state-owned Emirati oil company ADNOC.
2023-10-11 01:20:21
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