Energy transition toward renewables ‘unstoppable,’ but fossil fuels ‘cannot shut down in a day,’ says IRENA chief Francesco La Camera

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Updated 12 March 2023
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Energy transition toward renewables ‘unstoppable,’ but fossil fuels ‘cannot shut down in a day,’ says IRENA chief Francesco La Camera

  • International Renewable Energy Agency director-general says COP28 summit in the UAE “will be historic”
  • La Camera has “no doubts about the ambition of Saudi Arabia” becoming a leading green hydrogen exporter

DUBAI: For the world to transition to green energy without disrupting existing supply lines, divestment from fossil fuels must be a gradual process, Francesco La Camera, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency, told Arab News.

“We have to understand that the old system, the one that is centralized and based on fossil fuels, cannot shut down in a day,” La Camera told Katie Jensen, host of the Arab News program “Frankly Speaking.”

“There will be a slow decline of oil and gas. And to maintain a smooth decline of oil and gas, we need some investment again in oil and gas. If not, there will be a disruption.”

A steady transition away from fossil fuels toward solar, wind, hydro, geothermal and other renewables would help maintain a stable supply for the industrialized world, while also meeting the energy demands of developing nations, he added.

“Everything should be balanced. We have to understand that we have a demand for energy that is needed for development. And this demand will be increasing, especially in Africa and Southeast Asia.”




Frankly Speaking host Katie jensen, left, interviewing Francesco La Camera, director-general of the International Renewable Energy Agency.

IRENA is an intergovernmental agency for energy transformation, supporting countries in their energy transitions and providing data and analyses on technology, innovation, policy, finance and investment.

La Camera, who has served as the agency’s director-general since April 2019, has helped forge a series of strategic partnerships with UN organizations, including UNDP, UNFCCC and the Green Climate Fund, to implement a more action-oriented approach.

However, the Italian diplomat is realistic in his expectations of the pace of the energy transition, especially in the context of the war in Ukraine, which has led to a spike in world energy prices, pushing several nations to readopt cheaper but dirtier alternatives like coal.

Environmentalists have accused developed nations of hypocrisy following recent moves in Europe and the UK to reopen coal mines, at a time when most countries are phasing out fossil fuels.

“In the very short term, to avoid collapses and disruption in the energy supply, countries are trying to do what is possible,” said La Camera. “In some cases, this has been reactivating coal mines, but they are not investing in new coal mines. At least we are not aware of that.”

However, La Camera believes these are only short-term measures, implemented in response to rising energy costs caused by Western sanctions on Russian oil and gas. The long-term trajectory toward green renewables, he says, is “unstoppable.”

He said: “We have to understand that we are living in the time of the Ukrainian crisis and countries have to respond to the lack of the gas coming from Russia. We have to always distinguish between the very short term and the medium to long term.

“In the short term, countries are trying to do what they can to not deprive their own public of the heating and cooling that is needed … they’re trying to find remedies to the shortage of Russian gas. But their policies in the medium to long term are very clear. We are not going backward.

“The last year has been a record year for investment in renewables. We have broken new records in the new installing capacity of renewables. We now have 81 percent of the new installing capacity of renewables.

“This process is unstoppable. The only question that we have now is not the direction of travel — that is clear and nothing can change it. The question is the speed and the scale of this transformation, because it is not at a pace that can achieve the Paris Agreement goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

The Paris Agreement is an international climate treaty adopted in 2015, covering climate change mitigation, adaptation and finance. The agreement’s overarching goal is to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“We are not in line with the Paris Agreement goals,” said La Camera. “We say very clearly that we need, this decade, $57 trillion in investment in the energy transition. We are not there at all. We say that we need to triple our installing capacity of renewables by 2030, and this is not happening.

“Where does this money come from? We have a clear idea on that. There is a lot of liquidity in the market. The question is our point of view that today there are not the right policies in place to activate the demand, for example, for green hydrogen.

“And there is not yet enough focus on the infrastructure needed to sustain the building of the new energy system. And when we talk about the infrastructure, we talk about the physical, the legal and the institutional capacity and professional skill careers.”

Saudi Arabia has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. It has undertaken $1 billion in climate change initiatives as part of the Saudi Green Initiative, which seeks to establish a regional carbon capture and storage center, an early storm warning center and cloud seeding programs as part of its efforts to create a greener future.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said the Kingdom will plant 450 million trees and rehabilitate 8 million hectares of degraded lands by 2030, reducing 200 million tons of carbon emissions with additional initiatives to be announced in the years to come.

Saudi Arabia has also announced its ambition to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewables by 2030, with the remaining 50 percent coming from natural gas.

It has launched several major renewable energy projects, taking advantage of its natural potential in solar and wind, including the Sakaka solar power plant, the first utility-scale solar power project in Saudi Arabia, and Dumat Al-Jandal, its first utility-scale wind project.

Furthermore, the Kingdom aims to become the world’s leading hydrogen producer and exporter. Saudi Aramco and SABIC, in partnership with the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan, announced in 2020 the world’s first blue ammonia shipment from the Kingdom to Japan.

NEOM, the Kingdom’s smart-city giga-project taking shape on the Red Sea coast, has also announced plans to build one of the world’s largest green hydrogen plants.

“They (Saudi Arabia) have ambitions for green hydrogen,” said La Camera. “They are ready to sign contracts to sell not oil and gas, but to sell green hydrogen. The question is that the demand is still not there. And so, the partners of demand have to be one of the elements to be considered for making things happen.”

So, what can be done to encourage greater demand for hydrogen products to make them a viable alternative energy source?

“First is industrial policies,” said La Camera. “Developed countries and others have industrial policies that may favor a demand for green hydrogen instead of fossil fuels. This is very important. This means the legal environment is critical.

“In the meantime, we need the infrastructure to bring what we are producing in terms of green hydrogen into the market. North Africa, they have five pipelines that can perhaps be adapted to transport, not gas, as such, but hydrogen. We may be able to have more ships for trading ammonia. We can think about electroducts that may let countries exchange energy in an efficient way.

“All these are elements of a comprehensive package that may, hopefully, push countries to go faster. But again, I have no doubts about the ambition of Saudi Arabia. I have no doubt about the ambition of the UAE, and I’ve also seen other countries in the Gulf that are moving quickly with this trend.”

COP28, the 28th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, convenes from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12 this year in the UAE — marking only the second time the summit has been held in the Arab world following Egypt’s presidency last year.

La Camera believes participating nations must use this year’s summit to go beyond pledges and promises and instead take concerted action on cutting greenhouse gas emissions and transitioning to renewables.

“We need everyone in the discussion. Oil and gas companies, governments, and countries where gases are relevant from an economic point of view. They must be part of the discussion,” he said.

“The UAE and Saudi Arabia have already shown big ambition in going for renewables. Here is a place where you can produce electricity at lower cost. And we have seen that countries in the Gulf are going for net zero, setting their own hydrogen strategy.

“For the first time, COP in the UAE will certify that we are not on track. This COP has to come up with a way to close the gap between where we are and where we should be. IRENA is trying to work on building this narrative, beyond COP28, offering the presidency something to base their work on, in funding compromise among all the other countries.

“We are quite sure that this COP28 will be historic.”

Given the widespread pessimism in many quarters, La Camera’s optimism about the transition to renewables and the proactive role played by the Gulf Arab oil producers is reassuring.

He is not complacent, however, and says he will continue to push for a faster and more ambitious adoption of clean energy at COP28 and beyond.

“Renewables are playing and will play a central role,” he said. “We are going to a new energy system that will be dominated by renewables and with the complement of hydrogen, mainly green hydrogen, and the sustainable use of biomass.

“There is no way to stop this process. The question is how to sustain this process happening at the speed and scale needed.”

 


MENA economic growth to accelerate to 2.9% in 2025, says Moody’s

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MENA economic growth to accelerate to 2.9% in 2025, says Moody’s

RIYADH: Oil production and large investment projects will accelerate annual economic growth across the Middle East and North Africa by 0.8 percentage points in 2025, according to Moody’s.

The global credit rating agency forecasts growth of 2.9 percent this year, up from 2.1 percent in 2024, and also  maintained a stable outlook for the credit fundamentals of sovereigns in the region over the next 12 months.

The agency emphasized that the impact of large investments will be most evident in Saudi Arabia, driven by high government and sovereign wealth fund spending linked to the Vision 2030 diversification program.

The projections align with those of global consultancy Oxford Economics, which expects regional gross domestic product to grow by 3.6 percent in 2025, outpacing the firm’s global forecast of 2.8 percent. 

Moody’s added that the pickup in the MENA economy will be driven primarily by “stronger growth in the region’s hydrocarbon exporters because of a partial unwinding of strategic oil production cuts under the OPEC+ agreement.”

Alexander Perjessy, vice president and senior credit officer at Moody’s, said: “Large-scale investment projects, many of them part of longer-term government development and diversification agendas, will support non-hydrocarbon economic activity across the region.”

According to the credit rating agency, real gross domestic product growth for hydrocarbon-exporting nations is expected to rise to 3.5 percent in 2025, up from 1.9 percent in the previous year, as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iraq, Kuwait, and Oman ease the oil production cuts implemented in 2023.

In Qatar, growth in the small, gas-rich nation will be bolstered by the development of the petrochemical industry and construction activities related to the expansion of liquefied natural gas production capacity, set to come online between 2026 and 2030.

In Kuwait, non-hydrocarbon growth will be mainly driven by major projects, including the construction of a new port and a new airport terminal.

Meanwhile, Iraq’s non-hydrocarbon growth is expected to remain above pre-COVID levels, provided that improved domestic security conditions are sustained, driven by the gradual implementation of several transport and energy projects.

In the UAE, non-hydrocarbon growth will moderate slightly due to the completion of some infrastructure projects; however, it will remain robust, at around 5 percent in 2025.


Saudi ports handle 320.78m tonnes of cargo in 2024, up 14.45% year on year

Updated 12 min 42 sec ago
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Saudi ports handle 320.78m tonnes of cargo in 2024, up 14.45% year on year

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s ports saw a significant surge in cargo handling in 2024, with a total of 320.78 million tonnes of goods processed, representing a 14.45 percent year-on-year increase. This growth underscores the enhanced operational efficiency of the Kingdom’s maritime infrastructure.

According to the Saudi Ports Authority, container exports rose by 8.86 percent, reaching more than 2.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units, up from 2.59 million TEUs in 2023. Meanwhile, total cargo processed across the Kingdom’s ports in 2023 stood at 300.54 million tonnes.

Mawani highlighted that the results reflect the ongoing improvements in Saudi ports’ infrastructure and operational capabilities, which are pivotal in fostering a sustainable maritime sector and supporting the nation’s economic and trade growth. These advances align with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy under Saudi Vision 2030, positioning the Kingdom as a global logistics hub.

Container imports also saw significant growth, increasing by 13.79 percent to reach 2.98 million TEUs, up from 2.62 million TEUs in 2023. Mawani’s announcement on Jan. 15 further noted that Saudi Arabia has climbed to 15th in the global ranking for container handling, as reported by the 2024 Lloyd’s List, reaffirming the Kingdom’s role as a key player in international logistics.

Three Saudi ports have now secured positions in the global top 100. Jeddah Islamic Port jumped from 41st to 32nd, King Abdullah Port advanced from 71st to 70th, and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam improved from 90th to 82nd.

The overall volume of general cargo grew by 30.39 percent, reaching nearly 10 million tonnes, compared to 7.65 million tonnes in 2023. Solid bulk goods saw a 6.23 percent rise, totaling 52.12 million tonnes, up from 49.06 million tonnes. Liquid bulk goods grew by 16.29 percent, reaching 177.44 million tonnes, up from 152.58 million tonnes. Additionally, livestock imports saw a 19.63 percent increase, totaling 9.72 million heads, up from 8.12 million in 2023.

However, the total number of containers handled fell by 10.93 percent, amounting to 7.52 million TEUs compared to 8.44 million TEUs in 2023. Transshipment containers also declined by 46.74 percent, totaling 1.72 million TEUs, down from 3.24 million TEUs in 2023.

Maritime traffic decreased by 4.56 percent, with a total of 11,579 vessels visiting Saudi ports, compared to 12,132 vessels in 2023. Passenger traffic also dropped by 27.02 percent, totaling 736,177 passengers, down from 1.01 million the previous year. The number of vehicles handled at Saudi ports fell by 4.38 percent, with 1.09 million cars processed, compared to 1.14 million in 2023.

In December 2024, Saudi ports saw a 9.27 percent increase in cargo volume, reaching 27.46 million tonnes, compared to 25.13 million tonnes in the same month the previous year. Container handling also rose by 5.77 percent, totaling 711,170 TEUs, up from 672,373 TEUs in December 2023.

Mawani also announced several major initiatives in 2024, including agreements and groundbreaking projects to establish eight new logistics parks and hubs at Jeddah Islamic Port and King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, with a combined private sector investment of approximately SR2.9 billion ($773 million). These efforts are part of a broader strategy to enhance the attractiveness of Saudi ports and reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a global trade and logistics center.

These initiatives are included in a larger SR10 billion investment plan aimed at developing 18 logistics parks across Saudi terminals, all overseen by Mawani. Notably, Mawani highlighted the opening of Maersk’s largest global logistics investment at Jeddah Islamic Port, a project worth SR1.3 billion, spanning 225,000 sq. meters.


Saudi Arabia to invest $32m in mining incentives to drive industry expansion

Updated 16 January 2025
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Saudi Arabia to invest $32m in mining incentives to drive industry expansion

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is poised to invest SR120 million ($32 million) this year in mining incentives aimed at supporting companies with the right technical expertise, the country’s deputy minister announced.

On the third and final day of the Future Minerals Forum, Abdulrahman Al-Belushi, deputy minister for mining development at the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources, said that financial support for the sector will continue to increase.

“Last year, we injected about SR70 million via the exploration enablement program for six companies, and this year we’re working on launching SR120 million worth of incentives to be distributed to companies that have the right technical expertise,” he said during a panel discussion.

This initiative is part of Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to develop its mining sector and accelerate project timelines. “Our focus today is to accelerate the duration from the start of exploration all the way to the production of a mine,” Al-Belushi added.

He also emphasized the government’s commitment to providing essential resources for mining companies. “We’ve been busy listening to explorers and miners in the Kingdom and around the world. We gathered three components or three critical elements that are important to their success. They always want lands, they want data, and they want financing.”

To further strengthen the industry, Saudi Arabia has been heavily investing in geological research and exploration. “We’ve been working on the regional geosciences program, and that is nearing completion, and we will start off with the detailed mapping program that should be completed by 2030,” Al-Belushi explained.

He also highlighted the value of private sector contributions: “The private sector data is much more valuable, and now we’re trying to add the private sector data to the national geological database.”

Over the past five years, SR1.3 billion has been invested in exploration, generating a wealth of geological knowledge. “That’s a wealth of geological knowledge that should be in our geological database,” he added.

The Saudi government is also preparing to allocate significant land areas for future mining projects.

“We’ve been working actively on generating the data rules, availing 50,000 sq. km worth of lands for tendering in 2025 — this is the size of a small country,” Al-Belushi said.

Industry leaders expressed strong confidence in the future of the mining sector. “My confidence in the mining sector is 10 out of 10,” said Suliman Al-Othaim, chairman of Saudi Gold Refinery.

He described Saudi Arabia’s mining potential as unparalleled.

“We do have the minerals, which is a golden opportunity. We are in a world of paradise in Saudi Arabia because we have the minerals, we have the infrastructure, we have the electricity, we have the support of the government,” he said, predicting, “We will see tremendous growth within the coming five years.”

Darryl Clark, executive vice president of exploration at Ma’aden, highlighted Saudi Arabia’s unique geological features. “What I observe, and what I see here in Saudi Arabia that gets me very excited are a couple of unique geological features,” he said.

He elaborated, noting, “Saudi Arabia, geologically speaking, is broken up into two big chunks. On the western side, we have the shield, and on the eastern side, we have the platform rocks.”

Public support and sustainability were also central topics during the forum. Geoffrey McDonald Day, CEO of AMAK, stressed the importance of societal backing for the mining industry’s long-term success.

“I think how we maintain societal support for the mining industry is going to be a key thing for the sustainable success of the mining industry,” he said. He also underscored the importance of innovation, stating, “I think the ability to transform and value-add from technology is limited by our own imagination.”

Abdulaziz Al-Hamwah, vice chairman and CEO of Modern Industrial Investment Holding Group, linked the transformation of the mining sector to Saudi Vision 2030. “The mining sector today is in a better position. Why? Because of Vision 2030,” he said.

Al-Hamwah also pointed out that Saudi Arabia’s global leadership in oil, gas, and petrochemicals serves as a blueprint for its mining ambitions.

“Saudi Arabia’s transformation, as one of the global leaders in oil and gas and petrochemicals, profiles a compelling blueprint for the mining sector,” he noted.


Saudi mining minister reveals Kingdom’s ‘most valuable asset’ at Future Minerals Forum

Updated 16 January 2025
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Saudi mining minister reveals Kingdom’s ‘most valuable asset’ at Future Minerals Forum

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s wealth extends beyond its oil and gas reserves, with its human capital as its most valuable asset, according to the country’s minister of industry and mineral resources.

Speaking at the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Bandar Alkhorayef emphasized the Kingdom’s commitment to developing its citizens as part of Vision 2030, describing human capital as “the most important asset that we have in this country”. 

During the forum, the minister also announced the inauguration of the Young Mining Professionals Association, a collaboration between the ministry and Saudi mining company Ma’aden, to further empower young talent in the sector. 

“Our Vision 2030 is very keen to ensure that everything we do, from an economic or sector development, is touching our people,” said Alkhorayef. 

“It is designed in a way that impacts people, people’s development, people’s opportunity for investment, entrepreneurs, but also job opportunities, quality job opportunities,” the minister said. 

He added: “I’m happy that our mining sector is very serious about ensuring that at the core part of what we are doing in our strategy, addressing how much impact we can bring to our people and especially to the youth of Saudi Arabia.” 

In a separate panel, Muhammad Al-Saggaf, president of King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, echoed the minister’s sentiments, underscoring the critical role of talent in driving the Kingdom’s economic diversification. 

“In very simple terms, the mandate of KFUPM is to help expand the economy of Saudi Arabia. That is the mandate. We want to do our part that is to push forward an expansion of the base of the economy of the Kingdom,” he said. 

“What do you need to create new sectors?” Al-Saggaf asked. “You need two things: you need investment, and you need talent, and many times, strategists and planners focus a lot on investment, getting FDI (foreign direct investment) agreements, and so on. But talent is, as important, if not even more important, than the investment. And without it, you cannot actually achieve sector development in the way that the Kingdom and Vision 2030 wants.” 

He further explained the connection between investment and talent, describing it as “multiplicative” rather than additive. 

“If it were additive, you could make up for talent by adding investment, but that is not the case. In fact, the relationship between them is multiplicative. It is talent that amplifies and enables and allows the investment to achieve its goals, and without that talent, you will be multiplying by zero and you will be achieving nothing.” 

Al-Saggaf outlined three types of talent emerging from academic institutions. “The first type is the economy-burdening talent,” he said. 

“Those graduates who are unable to have the skills needed for today’s or tomorrow’s economy, and then they become a burden on the economy. They have to be re-skilled, or they take on menial jobs for which they spend years and they don’t need that training, if not, they become disgruntled because they are poor and unemployed and so on,” he added. 

“The second type, which is the largest type, is the economy-maintaining talent. Those are all the engineers and all the physicians, all the professors or the bankers or the lawyers who strive to maintain the progress of the current economy because the current economy has to continue to evolve and survive. And they are the largest portion of any economy this type, and they are essential and needed,” he explained. 

“But the most important type, as far as we are concerned. Our niche is type three. That’s the economy-creating talent. Those are the few who are going to go on to create the future jobs and create the future sectors,” he said. 

Al-Saggaf emphasized that KFUPM focuses on nurturing this talent. “This is why we tell all our students, and we have a number of our students in the audience today — when they get into KFUPM, you are not here to learn to get a job. If you get into KFUPM, it’s a very tough school to get into, you are implicitly guaranteed a job — that is not the objective. You are not here to learn to get a job. You are here to learn to create a job.” 

He also highlighted the university’s achievements in fostering diversity in engineering education. “KFUPM has the highest enrollment of females in engineering anywhere in the world with 50 percent, as opposed to 10-15 percent in global universities,” he said. 


Saudi Exchange launches framework for fixed income market making

Updated 16 January 2025
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Saudi Exchange launches framework for fixed income market making

  • Market makers are required to be members of the Saudi Exchange
  • Decision comes after the successful onboarding of market makers in the equities and derivatives divisions in 2023

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s stock exchange has announced the launch of its Fixed Income Market Making Framework to ensure the availability of secondary market liquidity.

The launch of this system will also increase price formation efficiency in the Kingdom’s capital market, according to a press statement.

The move aligns with the Capital Market Authority’s objective of transforming Saudi Arabia’s stock market into a key pillar of the nation’s economy under the directives of Vision 2030’s Financial Sector Development Program.

Introducing the Fixed Income Market Making Framework is a significant step in further developing the Saudi capital market, cementing its position as a leading regional financial hub, the statement added.

“As the Saudi capital market continues to evolve, we have seen an increase in debt issuances in recent years. In response to this growing demand, we have introduced a new Fixed Income Market Making Framework demonstrating our continued efforts to support the development and depth of the debt market and position the Saudi Exchange as a global destination in this field,” said Mohammed Al-Rumaih, CEO of the Saudi Exchange. 

According to the statement, the framework is a strategic initiative to stimulate secondary market activity in the fixed-income sector.

The Saudi Exchange’s decision comes after the successful onboarding of market makers in the equities and derivatives divisions in 2023.

Commonly known as the debt securities or bond market, the fixed-income sector is where companies can issue new debt — the primary market — or buy and sell existing debt securities, known as the secondary market, usually in the form of bonds.

Saudi Exchange said the new framework aims to enhance liquidity and facilitate more frequent transactions, making the Kingdom more attractive to domestic and international investors. 

“We aim to enhance the experience of investing in fixed-income instruments and attract a broader range of investors both regionally and internationally,” added Al-Rumaih. 

Under the Market Making Regulations, market makers are required to be members of the Saudi Exchange. They can conduct activities as principals on their accounts or as agents on behalf of clients. 

Market makers could continuously buy and sell orders for the relevant listed debt security during official trading hours to ensure the availability of liquidity for that listed debt security following the provisions of the Market Making procedures and the agreement, the statement added.

“Saudi Exchange will publish on its website a list of market makers and the securities on which they are performing this activity, and will provide incentives after the obligations are met,” said the exchange in the statement.