The construction, transportation and industrial sectors account for over 90% of the Saudi Arabia’s energy consumption.
Highlighting energy efficiency and renewable energy measures in Saudi Arabia, participants stressed the need to overcome the perception that Saudi Arabia is solely an oil producing country.
13 July 2018: On Friday, 13 July 2018, on the sidelines of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mineral Resources convened a side event titled, ‘Energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,’ that showcased best practices on fostering energy efficiency in the country through public-private partnerships (PPPs) in the construction, transportation and industrial sectors.
Noting that that the three sectors account for over 90% of the country’s energy consumption, Ahmed Alzahrani, Saudi Energy Efficiency Center (SEEC), highlighted SEEC’s energy efficiency programme and the importance of addressing energy efficiency by managing both the demand and supply sides of their businesses.
The first utility-scale renewable energy project in Saudi Arabia aims to generate 9.5 GW of renewable energy by 2023.
Yara Anabtawi, ACWA Power International, stressed that her company reduced the cost and tariffs of renewables by applying a “cost leadership” business model. She highlighted the first utility-scale renewable energy project in Saudi Arabia, which aims to generate 9.5 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy by 2023.
Hamed Al Harthy, Saudi Arabia Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), said his company aims to achieve, by 2025, 25% reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy and water intensities, and a 50% reduction in material-loss intensity.
During the discussion, participants, inter alia, stressed the need to overcome the perception that Saudi Arabia is solely an oil producing country. [SABIC Website] [SEEC Website] [ACWA Power Website] [IISD RS Coverage of Side Event on Energy in Saudi Arabia]