The Saudi Arabia Renewable Energy Hub
By on October 28, 2021
InterContinental Energy have just announced their fourth ammonia “Supergiant”: the Saudi Arabia Renewable Energy Hub (SAREH). At this stage details are limited, but the new collaboration between InterContinental, Saudi Aramco and Modern Industrial Investment Holding Group forms part of a wider decarbonisation push by the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia is targeting hydrogen production of 2.9 million tonnes per year by 2030 and 4 million tonnes per year by 2035, corresponding to around 15 million tonnes and 20 million tonnes of ammonia respectively.
For context, Saudi Arabia’s other world-scale ammonia project is Air Products, ACWA Power and NEOM’s 1.2 million tonne per year green ammonia plant, which will be operational by 2026. The Helios Green Fuels project will also feature 4 GW of electrolysers for renewable hydrogen production.
Aramco aims for net-zero
SAREH is one of five MoUs signed by Aramco this week. Aramco’s ultimate goal is to achieve net-zero for Scope 1 & 2 emissions across its wholly-owned operated assets by 2050. SAREH, the establishment of a Nation Green Services Company, manufacture of nonmetallic buildings materials and digitisation & efficiency improvements in existing oil and gas infrastructure were all announced.
“As the largest provider of energy to the world, Aramco’s ambition to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across our operations in less than three decades is a historic step forward that will help tackle the most pressing challenge facing humanity. Our past success has not been measured by quarters or business cycles, but across generations. The same will apply to the positive results from our net-zero ambition, as the actions we take in the coming years will help safeguard our planet for future generations.”
Amin H. Nasser, Aramco President and CEO, Aramco expands climate goals, stating ambition to reach operational net-zero emissions by 2050, 23 October 2021