There are some negative connotations attached to deserts. Some people may see them as barren landscapes that lack culture and have extreme, harsh conditions. However, one country has seen the potential of deserts and invested in a historic desert project that will deliver 1,200,00 tons of a crucial source annually, all thanks to sun and wind. This giant project forms part of an even greater project that has broken all barriers in design and concept, paving the way to a futuristic, sustainable world.
From one giant desert project to the next
The entire world is slowly transitioning to renewable energy sources in an attempt to mitigate the effects of climate change. Over the past few years, we have seen significant projects in some of the harshest, arid regions. Deserts are quite reliable regions for renewable projects, as they have abundant sunlight and great space for giant projects.
There is one country that jumper from one giant desert project to the next, and it’s all being developed in proximity. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia is behind the first-of-its-kind project, NEOM. According to Business Chief Middle East, this $500 billion futuristic gigi-project is designed to broaden the country’s economy away from oil by prioritizing sustainability and advanced technology.
One of NEOM’s sustainability projects includes investing in the world’s most mysterious power source, which is currently underway in development.
Investing in the world’s most mysterious power source
The industrial gas firm, Air Products, is co-developing and constructing the world’s biggest project of a power source on behalf of ACWA and Neom Green Hydrogen Company. This project is currently 80% complete, and its completion is expected by mid-2026, with marketing of the product expected in 2027, as per Offshore Energy.
Saudi Arabia has invested in the world’s most mysterious power source, and NEOM Green Hydrogen Company’s $8.4 billion project will reportedly produce 600 tonnes of green hydrogen daily, which will be converted to 1.2 million tonnes of green ammonia annually. The project’s hydrogen and ammonia will be green, as operations will be powered by:
- 2.2GW solar production capacity
- 1.6GW wind power production capacity
The solar and wind capacity installation is the final piece of the puzzle, and is one of the reasons why Saudi Arabia’s investment in these sources is beneficial.
This is why the country is investing in hydrogen
According to Offshore Technology, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has a few goals in mind when it comes to investing in this power source, which include:
- Lowering its total carbon footprint
- High-skill job creation
- Attracting billions in investment
- Becoming a major hydrogen supplier for export to global markets
The initial plan of the project was to sell green ammonia to European markets for utilization in the transport sector. However, according to Hydrogen Insight, since May 2023, pure hydrogen demand has decreased in the transport sector.
“The one positive point for our Neom project is that since we own the power generation, in both solar and wind, and there is no other variable cost, our price that we’re going to have from the joint venture is going to be basically fixed for the life of the [project]. We have a small adjustment for operations and maintenance, but that would be it. So I think in the long-term, it’s a very favourable outlook for us in the market.” – CEO Eduardo Menezes
Saudi Arabia’s pioneering, futuristic project has achieved global recognition for its commitment to sustainability and advanced technology. However, it has also raised some eyebrows, and this discovery could result in the delay of NEOM’s development. As mentioned, this project is the first-of-its-kind, which means in-depth research and particular environmental measures must be followed to ensure that the project achieves all of its goals, especially when it comes to sustainability.
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