Saudi Arabia has experienced significant growth in its burgeoning energy efficiency industry, with the number of licensed operators reaching 55 by the conclusion of 2023, according to a prominent official.
The nation is on a determined path to slash its carbon emissions and has set ambitious aspirations to reach net-zero by 2060. The Saudi Energy Efficiency Center plays a pivotal role in assisting the country to fulfill these goals, as asserted by Nasser Al-Ghamdi, the CEO of the center.
In his opening speech at the Saudi ESCO forum, Al-Ghamdi underscored the center’s commitment to promoting understanding of energy efficiency measures. He spotlighted the fact that 26 universities across the country have now integrated energy efficiency modules and courses into their syllabi.
“The establishment of the center marked the beginning of numerous initiatives aimed at curtailing energy usage,” noted Al-Ghamdi.
These initiatives include the launch and execution of over 200 training programs within the domain of energy efficiency, the CEO elaborated.
Al-Ghamdi stressed the center’s efforts to cultivate a conducive environment for both suppliers and beneficiaries within this ‘promising market,’ ensuring the caliber of service delivered by energy efficiency providers.
He explained that this would be accomplished by implementing a rigorous licensing system for potential investors in the sector, who must satisfy specific technical prerequisites to offer their services.
Emphasizing the burgeoning sector’s contribution to the net-zero objectives, the CEO remarked, “This relatively new sector is assisting companies, enterprises, and buildings in discovering efficient energy utilization solutions, which include financing and management of projects and services. They also play a crucial role in analyzing energy consumption and identifying improvement opportunities for businesses.”
Waled Al-Ghreri, CEO of the National Energy Services Co., also known as Tarshid, highlighted his company’s involvement in propelling energy efficiency measures within Saudi Arabia during his keynote address.
According to reports from the Saudi Press Agency, Al-Ghreri commented, “Since our collaboration with SEEC began in 2017, we have expanded the roster of energy efficiency service providers to 55 licensed entities, which includes 41 local and 14 international firms.”
“These partners are integral to our refurbishment and energy-saving initiatives, such as upgrading public establishments and infrastructure. Our joint efforts have culminated in an estimated 7 terawatt-hours of energy savings by the end of the first quarter of 2024. Tarshid is committed to nurturing the Kingdom’s burgeoning market for energy efficiency services and promoting their engagement in nationwide projects,” he added.
Addressing the lack of energy efficiency measures in the commercial sector, which is among the largest energy consumers in the Kingdom, representing 15.7 percent of the total facility consumption, a pilot project was introduced to elevate this area.
The project’s goal is to enhance the commercial sector by elevating the awareness of business proprietors about the potential opportunities, as implementing energy audit schemes is anticipated to bolster overall efficiency.
