How tech solutions are shaping Saudi Arabia’s clean energy transition  

Special How tech solutions are shaping Saudi Arabia’s clean energy transition  
Attendees attend the second edition of LEAP. (Supplied)
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Updated 07 February 2023

How tech solutions are shaping Saudi Arabia’s clean energy transition  

How tech solutions are shaping Saudi Arabia’s clean energy transition  
  • Adopting sustainable approaches to energy will be critical to achieving net zero, experts tell Arab News at LEAP23
  • Kingdom can maintain its energy leadership through development, sustainability and innovation, says Saudi official 

RIYADH: Technology could provide the sustainable solutions required to combat climate change and drive forward an inclusive clean energy transition, experts said on the sidelines of the LEAP23 Conference in Riyadh on Monday.

Governments and businesses worldwide are responding to rising global temperatures by pledging to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. However, many experts believe these commitments can only be realized through the adoption of new technologies.

At the second edition of LEAP, a four-day annual tech convention, climate scientists rubbed shoulders with industry leaders to explore how technology can help mitigate, or even reverse, the effects of climate change.

Dr. Gasem Fallatah, deputy program director of the Oil Sustainability Program at Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, believes an equitable energy transition can be achieved through inclusiveness with collaborative approaches between governments and industry.




Gasem Fallatah, from the Ministry of Energy’s Oil Sustainability Program. (AN Photo)

“The key word [for energy transition] is inclusiveness,” Fallatah told Arab News on the sidelines of LEAP23.

“We need to consider that when we are moving towards that transition and allowing every nation, geography, and economy to go for what is best suited for them, yet deliver on what you are supposed to deliver.

“In Saudi Arabia, inclusiveness is vital because we cater for all sources of energy: We are not tilted to one form or another. We are very much balanced when it comes to providing energy within the energy mix that we have got, but very much, also, committed to where the transition is and delivering on it.

“And this is why working with an Oil Sustainability Program allows us to find ways and means to continue to utilize our resources in a sustainable way that will enable us to make sure that we are taking advantage of our resources. Yet, we are also meeting our commitments to an energy transition that the world is morphing towards.”

FASTFACTS

• The Saudi and Middle East Green Initiatives integrate environmental protection, energy transition and innovative sustainability programs to achieve a green future.

• Under the umbrella of the two initiatives, Saudi Arabia aims to leverage its expertise, champion scientific innovation, and share best practices with the world.

The program’s focus on three domains — development, sustainability, and innovation — places the Kingdom in a position to move quickly in its energy transition process.

In terms of innovation, the program has been very active in driving new technologies, either by improving the technology readiness level of these applications or scaling it when it is ready for application.

Fallatah added: “We are very active in understanding trends governing or driving the energy ecosystem as we are adamant about not letting go and finding every opportunity to help sustain oil, but also to keep that leadership of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia when it comes to that transition.

“We have the legacy of a number of years and we would like to maintain that leadership by contributing to that transition. How do we do it? We do it through development, working on sustainability, but also working on innovation.”

Saudi Arabia has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. The country has undertaken $1 billion in climate change initiatives as part of the Saudi Green Initiative, which seeks to establish a regional carbon capture and storage center, an early storm warning center, and cloud-seeding programs as part of its efforts to create a greener future.




Youngsters call for action on emissions. (AFP)

The Saudi Green Initiative includes plans to plant 450 million trees and rehabilitate 8 million hectares of degraded lands by 2030, reducing 200 million tons of carbon emissions with additional initiatives to be announced in the years to come.

Saudi Arabia has launched and built several major renewable energy projects, taking advantage of its natural potential in solar and wind. It aims to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030, with the remaining 50 percent coming from natural gas.

The Kingdom also aims to become a world leader in hydrogen power and is investing in nuclear energy.

Although achieving a net-zero economy within 30 to 40 years may sound daunting, dozens of renewable energy breakthroughs are on the horizon, with many now making their way onto the market, as firms make their own net-zero pledges and invest in clean energy technologies.

For the transition to remain technically and economically feasible and beneficial, policy initiatives must steer the global energy transition toward a sustainable energy system.




The LEAP Conference attendees watch a demonstration. (Supplied)

Sustainable transition strategies typically consist of three significant technological changes: Energy savings on the demand side, generation efficiency at the production level, and fossil fuel substitution by various renewable energy sources and low-carbon nuclear.

Large-scale renewable energy adoption includes measures to improve the efficiency of existing non-renewable sources, which still have a substantial cost-reduction and stabilization role.

Experts warn that failure to act on emissions and the energy transition would be catastrophic.

“There will be no jobs on a dead planet. If we want prosperity for our people, we need to ensure prosperity in a land that thrives,” Dr. Paul Toyne, Grimshaw SD practice leader and expert adviser on environmental and sustainability goals, told Arab News at LEAP23.

“We do know that climate change is one of the largest or biggest threats to our planet and to our livelihoods, but we also know that if we solve climate change, we don’t necessarily solve the other issues that happened. So once we have a climate crisis, we also have a biodiversity crisis.”

Although governments are looking into ways of transitioning from oil and gas to renewables, Toyne stresses that the process will take some time, even with the right planning and investment.

He said: “We need to make our cities resilient to climate change and recognize that it will get worse, and adapt to create resilience.

“If we tackle the climate change solution with technologies and we flip over to renewables very quickly and restore the equilibrium in terms of carbon pollution, how do we restore the other ecosystems that we need?

“All of these economies and sectors need to go through a self-correction, which needs to be driven by the right policies and governance and financing of regenerative sectors.

“This takes us into a space of the unknown, but as a society we have more tools at our disposal, digital tools and breakthroughs in science, to provide solutions.”

Putting the world on a path to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050-60 requires a substantial increase in capital-intensive clean energy assets.




The four-day annual tech convention in Riyadh is in its second year. (Supplied)

Some believe this could hamper the energy transition process due to cost, but climate finance professionals such as Gerhard Mulder, CEO and co-founder of Climate Risk Services, believe this is not necessarily the case.

“There are upfront costs to a transition to a low-carbon economy, and numbers that are being thrown around in the trillions and, yes, in that sense it is very costly,” he told Arab News.

“However, if you look at electricity, for example, in more than half of the world, solar and wind are already more cost efficient than most fossil fuel-powered forms of generation.”

At a time when many countries face macroeconomic crises, due in part to the disruptions caused by the conflict in Ukraine, Mulder believes innovations will help stabilize energy, even in times of volatility. Indeed, by transitioning to low-carbon economies, “we’ll have more stable societies,” he said.

“The key word is building resilience and that means you are preparing yourself for an unstable future, preparing for unpredictable events, so that you can manage multiple scenarios,” he added.

Although the climate challenge at times feels insurmountable, Mulder claims he has never felt as optimistic about humanity’s response as he does today.

“When I first started working [in the climate field] many denied the science,” he said. “Today, nobody can. Many said that it’s a future problem, but the problem is here already. We have a finite amount of time, which is the bad news, but this is the decade we need to do it.

“There’s plenty of money available and plenty of technology available to invest in disruptive technologies, and we can already do so much with existing technologies by creating new markets so we can scale up the process.”


Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes

Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes
Updated 19 min 15 sec ago

Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes

Saudi Arabia’s traditional souqs exude Ramadan vibes
  • Bustling with tourists and residents, souqs are the beating heart of Saudi cities

RIYADH: Souqs are the best place to buy Ramadan essentials — food, decoration or fashion — and to experience the hustle and bustle of the holy month.

Souq, meaning market in Arabic, is a modern shopping destination but with an old-world charm.

May AlSheikh, reservoir geoscientist at Aramco, spoke with Arab News to explain the importance of souqs in the Middle Eastern culture.

AlUla’s Old Town is a serene marketplace with a beautiful view of mountains. (Supplied)

“Souqs are historical shopping and trading scenes that have been around for thousands of years. I strongly believe they remain an essential component for preserving culture and identity in Saudi Arabia, on the local scale, and the Middle East region as a whole,” Alsheikh said.  

Alsheikh believes the souq is a place where tourists can indulge in culture and get a taste of tradition.  

“I work in a company that is a cultural melting pot with people coming from all walks of life, and I always recommend my expatriate colleagues to visit souqs — they love it! It’s a great tourist attraction and a pleasant activity, where they enjoy the traditional ambiance while purchasing traditional goods and foods,” she said.

AlKhobar’s Al-Swekit Souq

One of the oldest souqs in the Eastern Province, Al-Swekit Souq, is a hub for affordable gold jewelry and abayas.  

AlUla’s Old Town is a serene marketplace with a beautiful view of mountains. (Supplied)

AlSheikh visits the Al-Swekit Souq during the month of Ramadan to buy all sorts of things for herself and the family.   

Souqs are historical shopping and trading scenes that have been around for thousands of years ... they remain an essential component for preserving culture and identity in Saudi Arabia, on the local scale, and the Middle East region as a whole.

May AlSheikh, Reservoir geoscientist at Aramco

“Shopping in Swekit market is fun, especially around this time of the year with the holy month of Ramadhan fast-approaching. The shops in Swekit usually sell a variety of traditional merchandise and local produce. I personally love buying abayas, spices and customary festive attire for myself and the kids,” she said.  

Jeddah’s Al-Balad Souqs

Al-Balad is Jeddah’s oldest neighborhood, founded in 7th century AD, and is home to a plethora of some of the oldest traditional markets: Souq Al-Badu‎, Souq Qabil, Souq Alawi, Souq Nada, Souq Al-Khaskeya, Souq Bab Al-Makkah and Souq Bab Shareef.

The souqs have a variety of shops to explore, selling gold, textiles, honey, spices and much more. Some of these markets have been around for decades and hold a special place in the hearts of locals.  

AlUla’s Old Town is a serene marketplace with a beautiful view of mountains. (Supplied)

“It is a lively, enjoyable, and unpretentious social activity where you see people from different backgrounds and economic classes shop and interact together. And, quite frankly, that’s the beauty of it! It breaks social norms, shrinks the social and economic classes’ gap, and promotes a healthy, inclusive society. In addition to that, souqs give thrive to small-scale businesses which feed into the overall economic growth,” AlSheikh said.  

Just make sure to put your bargaining hats on to show off some negotiation skills.

AlUla’s Old Town Souq

Julian Ryall, Japan correspondent for The Daily Telegraph, visited The Old Town Souq in AlUla, where community locals set up clothing shops, fruit stands, pottery and crafts, and cafes amid a beautiful view of the mountains.

“Any foreign visitor who comes to Saudi Arabia is going to want to visit a souq. It has to be one of the most important elements of a trip, as important as drinking tea on a trip to England,” Ryall said.

He added: “I loved the hustle and bustle of market, of the stall-holders calling out to passers-by, of being encouraged to haggle on prices and just the items that were available,” Ryall said.

“The local gold shop was the perfect place. I was embarrassingly bad at haggling so the owner took pity on me and gave me a discount anyway. I think I’ll tell my wife I did haggle the price down when I give her the earrings.”  

Riyadh’s Almaigliah Souq

Established in 1986, Almaigliah Souq is the first wholesales traditional market in Riyadh located next to Al-Masmak Fort.  

The complex consists of four buildings, each specializing in a genre of shopping: gold, women’s clothing, men’s apparel, and perfume.  

Almaigliah is best known for their great deals on the best Arabian ouds perfume, spices and women’s abayas.

For almost three decades, this souq has attracted tourists from all over the world and continues to be a retail destination for locals.  

 


Who’s Who: Abdulrahman K Justaniah, first Saudi to become a partner at global strategy consulting firm Kearney

Abdulrahman K Justaniah
Abdulrahman K Justaniah
Updated 12 min 16 sec ago

Who’s Who: Abdulrahman K Justaniah, first Saudi to become a partner at global strategy consulting firm Kearney

Abdulrahman K Justaniah

Abdulrahman K Justaniah is the first Saudi to become a partner at the elite global strategy consulting firm Kearney.

Justaniah joined in January 2022 while being part of the strategic operations practice and supporting the firm’s growth in the region. He has been part of many of the transformational projects in the Kingdom supporting clients as a trusted adviser.

Previously he had several public and private sector leadership roles. The most recent was vice-president of strategy and excellence at the Expenditure and Project Efficiency Authority in 2021.

The authority was established in 2017 to support Saudi Arabia’s efficiency, project execution, operations and maintenance for all spending through the public budget.

He joined the authority as the fifth employee during the startup and served in multiple leadership roles.

Before his vice-presidency role, he held the same position for strategy and shared services from 2020 to 2021, and was executive director of strategy and organizational excellence from 2019 to 2020.

He also worked as executive director of the strategic procurement unit from 2017-2019 and led the establishment of the strategic procurement unit to increase government efficiency, and led the organizational design, developed processes, and set up governance with more than 450 government entities across the Kingdom.

Before that Justaniah worked with Procter & Gamble as manufacturing director in Dammam from 2015 to 2017 and led part of Dammam’s manufacturing operations.

He has also worked with P&G as regional supply chain director/IMEA demand planning leader in Cairo, transition and startup director, market planning senior manager, project manager and supply planning manager.

Justaniah obtained a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Dhahran. He also completed leadership courses, pathways to leadership process, GROW Coaching, situational leadership and emerging leaders.

 


Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque

Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque
Updated 26 March 2023

Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque

Installation of 120 areas for prayer, 12,000 Zamzam water containers at Grand Mosque
  • Visitors to the Grand Mosque will be given the opportunity to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad following an initiative by the presidency to enrich the experience of those attending the site during Ramadan

RIYADH: The Grand Mosque in Makkah boasts 120 areas for prayer and 12,000 containers of Zamzam water to help ensure a comfortable visit for pilgrims during Ramadan.

People at the location have worked round the clock on the third Northern expansion to make the mosque as safe and as hospitable as possible for visitors during the holy month.

The General Presidency of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque has prepared some 120 areas for prayer at the site. New additions to help visitors include several allocated doors for entry and exit.

Walid Al-Masoudi, the director of the General Administration of the Third Saudi Expansion at the Grand Mosque, said that the specially allocated doors would facilitate the arrival of worshippers and aid them on their way to prayer rooms on the ground and first floors, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

He added that the roof level will be used for the first time, and in the event that the internal areas of the Grand Mosque are filled, the northern and western courtyards and parts of the service buildings will be utilized as they have the capacity to accommodate more visitors.

Al-Masoudi said that in coordination with the specialized agencies and authorities, some 26 elevators had been installed.

He added: “All the praying areas of the mosque have been provided with 22,000 carpets and over 12,000 containers of Zamzam water.”

Visitors to the Grand Mosque will be given the opportunity to learn more about the Prophet Muhammad following an initiative by the presidency to enrich the experience of those attending the site during Ramadan.

 


Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Madinah

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received by Madinah governor Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials. (Supplied)
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received by Madinah governor Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials. (Supplied)
Updated 12 sec ago

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visits Madinah

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received by Madinah governor Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials. (Supplied)
  • Crown Prince visited Quba Mosque and performed the Tahiyat Al-Masjid prayer

MADINAH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Madinah and performed prayers at the Prophet’s Mosque, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

The crown prince was greeted on arrival by Sheikh Abdulrahman Al-Sudais, president of the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques, and other imams and officials of the mosque.

He also visited Quba Mosque and performed the Tahiyat Al-Masjid prayer (a way of greeting the mosque). He was accompanied by Madinah Gov. Prince Faisal bin Salman and other key officials.

 

 


Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year

Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year
Updated 26 March 2023

Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year

Bisat Al-Reeh festival returns to Jeddah for 22nd year
  • More than 170 exhibitors from 15 countries including Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Turkiye, Egypt, London, India and Jordan are taking part

JEDDAH: One of the biggest festivals in the Islamic world dedicated to women is holding its 22nd event in Jeddah as part of the Kingdom’s Ramadan Season.

The National Charity Foundation for Home Health Care, also known as We Care, is holding its ‘Bisat Al-Reeh’ event for six days starting on Monday at the Jeddah Superdome under the slogan “Everlasting Goodness.” 

The annual exhibition this year has two days for families and four dedicated exclusively for women to promote their creativity in fashion, jewelry and furniture and nurture young talent.

Bisat Al-Reeh is held under the patronage of Princess Adelah bint Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz and in the presence of Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan.

More than 170 exhibitors from 15 countries including Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Lebanon, Turkiye, Egypt, London, India and Jordan are taking part. Uzbekistan will also be represented for the first time. 

We Care said Bisat Al-Reeh encourages entrepreneurs to exchange knowledge and experience with elite society members and promotes the display of various related industrial sectors.

Proceeds have supported We Care charitable programs and activities in home healthcare and hospitals.

Princess Adelah, the chairwoman of the foundation’s board of trustees, told Arab News at last year’s event: “The foundation works for noble goals, as today it serves ten different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

“Its goals fall within providing home health care in addition to providing patients’ psychological and social needs and supporting them with medical equipment and supplies, as well as enhancing the functional capabilities of the patients and supporting them until they regain their independence.”

Ramadan Season also offers a series of cultural experiences and events in Riyadh, Jeddah and Makkah organized by the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

The season aims to celebrate areas of the Kingdom’s historical and cultural heritage that relate to the holy month.