The Saudi Move into Hydrogen: A Paradigm Shift

Initiative -
Type Instant Insight
Date 6 January 2021

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is moving ahead with its diversification plan, Saudi Vision 2030, by adopting hydrogen. The Kingdom is keen to enable the circular carbon economy (CCE) by producing and utilizing clean hydrogen. On September 27, Saudi Aramco announced its first shipment of hydrogen from Saudi Arabia to Japan. The 40 tonnes of high-grade blue ammonia shipment, which is meant for use in zero-carbon power generation, marks the first of its kind worldwide (Ratcliffe 2020).

Authors

Hatem Al Atawi

Hatem is senior research analyst at KAPSARC. He holds a master’s degree in power system economics, with a focus on… Hatem is senior research analyst at KAPSARC. He holds a master’s degree in power system economics, with a focus on electricity markets, from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Idaho. Before joining KAPSARC, Hatem worked within various industries. He interned at ABB Västerås in Sweden, where he worked on electric vehicle asset management under the Swedish transport administration's electric road systems project. Hatem also worked at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories in Washington state, where he modeled speed governors and prime movers for hydro and gas turbines.

Abdulelah Darandary

Research Lead Abdulelah is a research lead at KAPSARC and an economist with expertise in various fields, including macroeconomics, energy, international trade… Abdulelah is a research lead at KAPSARC and an economist with expertise in various fields, including macroeconomics, energy, international trade and investment flows, financial development and public policy. He is currently leading the application of a behavioral economics project for energy policymaking in Saudi Arabia, utilizing econometric modeling and counterfactual analysis. Abdulelah's publications have been featured in several peer-reviewed journals. In 2020, during the Saudi G20 presidency, he was a member, co-author, and task force coordinator for the Trade, Investment, and Growth Taskforce for Think20 (T20), an official Engagement Group of the G20. Before joining KAPSARC, Abdulelah worked as an economic consultant, providing policy analyses, modeling, and forecasting the impacts of public spending on social and economic indicators. Abdulelah obtained a master's degree in applied economics and a bachelor's degree with honors in banking and financial economics. He received the King Abdullah scholarship and is a member of the Saudi Economic Association and the Saudi Association for Energy Economics.

Expertise