With rapid changes in the environment occurring, every country in the world is seeking to recalibrate their grids to adapt to these new environmental realities. This includes the Middle East, despite it being the epicenter of fossil fuels. Below are some of the latest updates.
United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia Partner with India
India will reportedly connect their grid to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. The connection could occur via undersea cables. India’s cabinet will need to approve the agreement. This is part of a broader effort for the Gulf countries to establish connections with other countries. Other examples of this have included Japan and Iraq.
Many would argue that these connections serve to benefit non-Gulf countries since they are gaining access to the Gulf’s rich energy. But countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia must be doing this for a reason. It might be more for political advantage, but if the deal was going to significantly harm Gulf nations’ energy interests, they would not do it. Additionally, even if this does not change energy for the Gulf for now, it does create a more conducive environment for future energy cooperation. The three nations could have varying connections to other forms of energy, so they might be able to fill in each other’s gaps.
Increased connectivity between nations is never really a bad thing, and nations in relative proximity to each other are going to have an easier time establishing these connections.
Saudi Arabia Ramps Up Solar
Saudi Arabia recently made a solar power station operational in Rabigh. Some might be surprised by this given how much Saudi Arabia relies on oil. But the Saudi government has a comprehensive energy project known as ‘Vision 2030’, which will aggressively develop new forms of energy. This specific project will give energy to 45,300 homes. This project will produce 894 million kWh of energy in the first year and reduce carbon emissions by 779,900.
It will be interesting to see how Saudi Arabia does in terms of solar power. Countries in the Middle East generally see more sun each year than most nations, so it makes sense for them to utilize solar energy. Even if solar energy does not make sense for Europe or the United States, it could still benefit the Middle East. Moreover, Saudi Arabia’s numbers regarding solar energy provide promise for everyone. It has been difficult for many nations to use solar energy due to technological problems. If Saudi Arabia has new technology that is more workable than past technology, other nations could use this technology.
Alternatively, some might argue that all of this is talk, and that Saudi Arabia’s effectiveness will not be known for some time. This is a valid point, and it is important to monitor. Nonetheless, minimally this development does create another solar “experiment” to evaluate.
Middle East Airports and Sustainability
Many complain that airports are among the biggest users of energy and contributors to pollution. Several Middle East airports recently announced that they will pursue more sustainable practices. At an upcoming Airport Show, these airports will detail what practices they will pursue in terms of sustainability. Much of the changes will come in terminals. With so many people passing through airports and on the ground maintenance of planes, a lot of energy is used in airports.
Airports like the UAE’s are planning to rebuild their infrastructure so things like lighting uses less energy. They also plan to replace the fuel sources with more carbon friendly sources to stop pollution.
Some of these innovations are part of larger trends in terms of efforts for sustainability at airports worldwide. It is good for any airport to improve their sustainability, but it is especially notable for the Middle East to do it, as places like Dubai are becoming hotbed for tourism, so their energy use will likely increase. These improvements could also help the Middle East’s grids.
Additionally, if the Middle East’s changes are successful, It could see the stage for more nations to improve sustainability at their airports. Of course, these “improvements” are just promises for now, so energy observers will need to track these airports’ actions.