Saudi Arabia to develop hydrogen fuel cell-based transport
Pilot projects for hydrogen fuel cell-based cars, buses and trains, transportation applications and sustainable jet fuel production in selected areas and roads will be implemented in Saudi Arabia.
This comes after the Ministry of Energy signed eight memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with a number of entities to implement the projects.
The signed MoUs are as follows:
- An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and buses with Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University
- An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based trains with the Saudi Railways Company (SAR)
- An MoU on a sustainable jet fuel production project with the Saudi Technology Development and Investment Company (TAQNIA)
- An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based vehicles and buses with the Royal Commission for Jubail & Yanbu
- An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based transportation applications with NEOM
- An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based buses with the Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites
- An MoU for a project on hydrogen fuel cell-based buses with the Red Sea Development Company
- 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 MoUs. These include cars, buses, trains, as well as maritime transportation.
The projects will take place in several 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.
The MoUs 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 MoUs 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.
