BAKU: Saudi Arabia is pursuing new technologies to improve fuel efficiency and decarbonize the aviation sector, an oil sustainability program spokesperson told Arab News.
Mohammad Altayyar, program director of the Saudi Ministry of Energy’s oil sustainability program, spoke to Arab News during the COP29 UN climate conference about the Kingdom’s efforts to improve sustainability in aviation.
He said: “Today we stand with an opportunity, an opportunity to contribute to the global efforts in addressing climate change.
“With the aviation sector contributing to 2 percent of global emissions, and with countries pursuing sustainable development, their travel demand continues to grow, and nations continue to work on meeting the climate challenge.”
Altayyar highlighted that discussions at COP29 exemplified the ministry’s collective commitment to tackling pressing issues through dialogue on advances in aviation fuels.
He further emphasized Saudi Arabia’s progress in the aviation sector, aligning with the goals of Vision 2030.
“Saudi Arabia as a global key player in the global energy landscape making significant strides and pioneering the promotion of sustainable practices within the aviation sector, upholds the commitments of Vision 2030, which clearly outline an ambitious framework for its economic diversification and environmental stewardship.
“The Kingdom is actively pursuing innovative technologies that will enhance fuel efficiency and reduce emissions, working toward long-term global objectives.
“These initiatives not only support global climate goals but also establish the Kingdom as a leader in developing balanced, cleaner energy solutions,” Altayyar said.
In other developments at COP29, the Saudi Ministry of Energy signed an executive program for cooperation in renewable energy with counterparts from three Asian nations: Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
The program emphasizes the formation of strategic partnerships to explore regional power grid interconnections powered by renewable energy. It also aims to boost the efficiency of energy infrastructure and integrate renewable projects into the national grids of the participating countries.
Additionally, the Ministry of Energy observed the signing of two strategic agreements between Saudi Arabia’s ACWA Power and various entities to advance renewable energy initiatives in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan.
The first agreement focused on collaboration with the Uzbek Ministry of Energy to develop battery energy storage systems with a capacity of up to 2 GWh, aimed at improving grid stability.
The second agreement was a memorandum of understanding with Azerbaijan’s oil company SOCAR and the UAE’s Masdar to develop offshore wind power projects in the Caspian Sea with a capacity of up to 3.5 GW.
In conjunction with the executive program, ACWA Power’s Khyzi Absheron wind power project in Azerbaijan, slated for a capacity of 240 MW, is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2026.
