| Work Detail |
A strategic partnership has been established between King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), NEOM’s Education, Research, and Innovation Foundation (ERIF), and ENOWA to support Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning hydrogen economy. The collaboration aims to advance hydrogen technology and contribute to the Kingdom’s vision of becoming a global leader in renewable energy and hydrogen production. NEOM’s ERIF has sponsored three pivotal projects under its Hydrogen and e-Fuels Applied Research Institute (HEFARI) in partnership with KAUST researchers. These projects focus on developing hydrogen as a renewable energy source and were discussed at a recent summit held at KAUST’s Research and Technology Park. The two-day summit brought together senior representatives from KAUST, ERIF, HEFARI, ENOWA, and other major stakeholders like Saudi Aramco, Imperial, HyET, Cruise Saudi, Nxt7, and Dow. The summit provided a platform for discussing progress, challenges, and opportunities in advancing Saudi Arabia’s green hydrogen economy. Key topics of discussion included cost-effective production of green hydrogen and ammonia, their application in sustainable fuels for aviation and marine propulsion, advancements in electrolyzer technology, and the requirements for hydrogen transportation and storage. Research Initiatives The three ERIF-sponsored projects at KAUST are led by prominent researchers in the field: Professor William Roberts of Mechanical Engineering is developing carbon-neutral fuels for marine engines in response to new regulations aimed at decarbonizing maritime transport. Professor Mani Sarathy of Chemical Engineering is focused on reducing the costs associated with large-scale electrolyzer technologies to facilitate cleaner hydrogen production. Assistant Professor Thibault Guiberti of Mechanical Engineering is working on minimizing undesirable emissions from engines and turbines that use green ammonia as fuel. Donal Bradley, Executive Director of NEOM’s Education, Research & Innovation Foundation, emphasized the importance of this partnership in advancing Saudi Arabia’s green hydrogen economy. “The alliance of ENOWA and ERIF with KAUST will help make Saudi Arabia a formidable force in developing new technologies and processes for efficient hydrogen generation, storage, and conversion into sustainable fuels,” Bradley said. Pierre Magistretti, Vice President of Research at KAUST, noted the university’s leading role in hydrogen research. He highlighted the new Center of Excellence (CoE) on Renewables and Energy Storage, which will focus on hydrogen-related research activities as part of KAUST’s Strategic Plan to accelerate impact. Roland Kaeppner, Managing Director of Hydrogen and Green Fuels at ENOWA, added that working with NEOM’s ERI and KAUST is a logical progression for ENOWA. “Offering our Hydrogen Innovation Development Center (HIDC) to KAUST and NEOM’s HEFARI means the Kingdom can continue to lead in hydrogen research,” he stated. Saudi Arabia has ambitious plans to produce 50% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 and aims to become the top global producer and supplier of hydrogen. The Kingdom’s commitment to a circular carbon economy framework and achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 underscores its dedication to evolving its hydrogen production capabilities from renewable energy sources. As part of this strategy, Saudi Arabia is making significant strides in green hydrogen production, a key element of its energy transition efforts. The partnership between KAUST, NEOM, and ENOWA is poised to accelerate these efforts and solidify Saudi Arabia’s leadership in the global hydrogen economy. |
