| NEOM, the carbon-neutral giga project rising on the northwest coast of Saudi Arabia, took a major step in its sustainable development with a new solar project.
The smart city developer said it will pursue cutting-edge solar technology to produce low cost, environmentally friendly water.
The company said it signed an agreement with UK-based Solar Water Plc. to build the first ever “solar dome” desalination plants in NEOM. Work on the project will be completed by the end of 2020.
The solar dome technology can produce water at 34 cents per cubic metre, believed to be significantly lower than desalination plants using reverse osmosis methods, according to the company.
“Easy access to abundant seawater and fully renewable energy resources means NEOM is perfectly placed to produce low cost, sustainable fresh water through solar desalination,” said Nadhmi Al-Nasr, the development’s CEO.
“This type of technology is a powerful reminder of our commitment to supporting innovation, championing environmental conservation and delivering exceptional livability. Working together with the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, we can expand the implementation of this technology beyond NEOM.”
Developed at the Cranfield University in the UK, the project will be the first large-scale concentrating solar power (CSP) technology being deployed in solar desalination.
“The “solar dome” desalination process, which can also operate at night due to the stored solar energy generated throughout the day, will reduce the total amount of brine that is created during the water extraction process,” the company noted.
While the high salt concentration in brine makes it more difficult and expensive to process, the solar dome process will prevent any damage to marine life as no brine is discharged into the sea.
STRATEGIC LOCATION Located in the strategically important northwestern region of the country, straddling the Middle East and Africa, and at the crossroads of Asia and Europe, the NEOM city will be spread over 26,500 square kilometres – a land area slightly smaller than Belgium.
Its location on the Gulf of Aqaba will ensure that residents enjoy an uninterrupted coastline stretching over 468 km, with a dramatic mountain backdrop rising to 2,500 metres to the east.
The site will also become the gateway to the King Salman Bridge, connecting Asia and Africa, further elevating the economic zone’s significance.
The city’s building codes will make net-zero carbon houses the standard, and the layout will encourage walking and bicycling, and all facilities solely powered by renewable energy.
THIRD ROUND Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia’s Renewable Energy Project Development Office (REPDO) unveiled the third round of the National Renewable Energy Program (NREP), featuring four solar PV projects with a combined power generation capacity of 1,200 megawatts (MW).
The projects will include the 80MW Layla solar PV, the 120MW Wadi Al Dawaser development, the 300MW Saad solar PV, and the 700MW Ar Rass solar PV project. The third round will seek a minimum requirement of 17% local content to ensure local businesses and workforce is involved in the developments.
In 2017, REPDO announced the first round of renewable energy projects that included the 300MW Sakaka solar PV project, which is already connected to the national electricity grid, and the under-construction Dumat Al Jandal wind power project with a capacity of 400MW. The second round featured six solar PV projects with a combined generation capacity of 1,470MW.
According to the Middle East Solar Industry Association, the regional renewable industry is surging on the back of impressive growth in major countries, such as Saudi Arabia, which are taking the lead.
With the engagement of electricity price reform, interest for solar C&I (commercial and industrial sector) is growing, thanks to authorities such as Electricity & Cogeneration Regulatory Authority that are currently working on devising a clear regulatory framework for such projects.
“It is anticipated to be launched in mid-2020. The Mutajadedah programme, designed by the SIDF could be the main driver to push forward more projects like the off-grid system at Nadec (30MW). With this programme, the fund offers financing for rooftop solar captive systems for 12 years, with a three-year grace period and attractive interest rates,” MESA said in a new report.
“Even though storage is not explicitly mentioned in the energy mix or among REPDO-targeted technologies, storage solutions are not out of the picture as a 2.4GW capacity of CSP is expected to be released in the near future.” |
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