With the presence of HRH Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud, Minister of Energy, the Ministry of Energy signed today eight memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with a number of entities for implementing pilot projects for hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles, buses, trains, and transportation applications and sustainable jet fuel production in selected areas and roads in various cities in the Kingdom.
In a statement on this occasion, HRH the Minister of Energy noted the interest of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in the energy sector and his keenness to develop and utilize all the various energy resources, with which the Kingdom is endowed. “This step,” HRH said, “is taken simultaneously with drafting the hydrogen strategy, which arises from the integrated energy strategy that lays out the objectives, roadmap and implementation timeline.”
Prince Abdulaziz also noted the support of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince. “It also reflects the constant support HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Crown Prince, lends to all the energy sectors. I have to acknowledge the significant leading role HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz is undertaking to enable the energy sector with his continuous follow-up and immense support at all levels and through his leadership of the supreme energy committees.”
“I must also commend the cooperation and integration we see between partners in these various memoranda” HRH added. “This synergy is a real booster to our endeavors to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030 objective of diversifying the Kingdom’s energy sources, and becoming a global leader in all areas of energy, as it has been in the oil industry for over 80 years.”
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman signed four MoU’s as follows:
• An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and buses with Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University, signed by H.E. Dr. Hamad Al Sheikh, Minister of Education and Chairman of University Affairs Council.
• An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based trains with the Saudi Railways Company (SAR), signed by H.E. Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services and Chairman of SAR’s Board of Directors.
• An MoU on a sustainable jet fuel production project with the Saudi Technology Development and Investment Company (TAQNIA), signed by His Highness Prince Dr. Turki Bin Saud Al Saud, Chairman of the Board of Directors.
• An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and buses with the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu, signed by H.E. Eng. Abdullah Ibrahim Al-Saadan, President of the Commission.
In addition, Eng. Ahmed Musa Alzahrani, Assistant Minister for Development and Excellence, signed three MoU’s as follows:
• An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based transportation applications with NEOM, signed by Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO.
• An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based buses with the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites, signed by Eng. Abdulrahman bin Farouk Addas, CEO of the Commission.
• An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based buses with the Red Sea Development Company, signed by Ahmad Darwish, Chief Administrative Officer
Lastly, Eng. Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Ibrahim, Assistant Minister for Oil and Gas, signed with Mr. Raed Hassan Al-Idrissi, CEO of the Saudi Ground Services Company (SGS), an MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based transportation applications.
Hydrogen-fueled transportation projects and applications that are based on the technology of hydrogen fuel cells are to be carried out according to the signed MoU’s. These include vehicles, buses, trains, as well as maritime transportation. The projects will take place in several different locations throughout the Kingdom, such as NEOM, the Red Sea, Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University, Makkah, Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu, and airport runways. Hydrogen production and fueling stations are also to be built in some of these areas to supply these projects with hydrogen fuel. These projects will be implemented in collaboration between the Ministry of Energy, sponsors and many global companies that provide the technologies for these applications in order to establish a complete conceptual understanding of hydrogen fuel-based transportation applications.
The MoU’s cover applications of hydrogen in the transportation sector, performance tests of hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and buses, efforts to acquire commercial and technical expertise, analysis of the lessons learned from experiments in using hydrogen as a fuel in transportation means, to expand the implementation scope in the future, and raising public awareness of hydrogen applications in the Kingdom.
The MoU’s include executing water electrolysis-based hydrogen fueling stations, importing hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and buses, as well as providing full related operation services during the project’s implementation period.
