HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy, inaugurated the 12th Saudi Arabia Smart Grid Conference 2024 and its accompanying exhibition on Monday in Riyadh.
Held under the theme "Energy and Sustainability," the Conference discussed key challenges related to the integration of renewable energy into the electrical grid and highlighted the standards for grids design and operation, energy efficiency solutions, and latest technologies in energy storage.
In his opening remarks, HRH prince Abdulaziz emphasized that smart grid technologies are vital for energy transition, both globally and specifically within the Kingdom. He added that their significance stems from their ability to integrate smart meters, process automation, and communication technologies to enhance electricity production, transmission, distribution, and consumption.
"In striving to achieve the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, the energy system has worked to achieve a broad digital transformation in the sector, as more than 11 million smart meters have been installed in the Kingdom since 2021. This contributed to improving the efficiency of energy consumption and enabling consumers to monitor their consumption in real time via smart applications, which enhances their ability to make more informed decisions about rationalizing electricity consumption," he said.
Prince Abdulaziz highlighted that the Ministry of Energy is working to automate 40% of distribution grids by the end of 2025 and has so far achieved 32% of this goal. He also said that the Ministry of Energy is developing nine advanced control centers, which are expected to be operational by 2026. These centers are equipped with cutting-edge technologies that enable real-time monitoring of grid systems.
The Minister spoke about the nature of renewable energy sources and their vulnerability to weather conditions, emphasizing that efforts are underway to develop battery storage systems with a storage capacity of 26 GWh, with a goal of reaching 48 GWh by 2030.
Regarding the efforts made to enhance the stability and efficiency of the national grid - the largest in the Middle East and Africa -, Prince Abdulaziz said that: "We continue to expand transmission and distribution networks, and develop flexible transmission system technologies that contribute to enhancing energy exchange and reducing losses. Four regional control centers have been established, in addition to one national center with advanced systems allowing for efficient monitoring and operation of networks, which enhances the security and flexibility of the electrical grid".
Following the opening ceremony, the Minister witnessed the signing of several agreements in the energy field and honored winners of the “Energy Hackathon", in which more than 60 participants showcased innovative solutions in the field of energy storage, efficiency, and sustainability.
The three-day conference features over 40 scientific papers that highlight the latest innovations and sustainable solutions in the field of smart grids. It also explores opportunities for private-sector participation and future growth in this field.
