ABB smart energy tech to power Saudi Red Sea tourism

ABB has been selected to provide power for an ambitious new "sustainable tourism" project in Saudi Arabia which seeks to turn islands in the Red Sea into luxury accommodation as part of wider conservation and regeneration efforts.

Funded by the nation's Public Investment Fund and operated by The Red Sea Development Company, the Swedish-Swiss engineering company has been chosen to power the project using 100% renewable energy, primarily solar, in the hopes the scheme will encourage tourism to the Saudi Red Sea coast.

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The energy grid should be up-and-running in time for the resort's opening, which is currently penned in for 2030.

Set up by Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman in 2017 for the efforts of "preserving the area's outstanding natural beauty", the Red Sea project was designed with environmental conservation in mind.

Spanning over 28,000 sq km, the project will include the regulation of fisheries, the removal of invasive species, the creation of conservation zones and the expansion of "green" and "blue" habitats: different forms of sustainable ecosystems, one on land, the other for marine life, typically produced through green infrastructure.

The project's owners also claim it will "protect the environment and the species that call it home, as well as supporting the local communities living in close proximity to the destination".

This is a rare environmental push from one of the largest oil producers in the world - a nation that will not be shifting away from fossil fuels any time soon.

ABB will be integrating in smart low-voltage synchronisation panels, supported by a cloud system that merges all functions of energy management into a single dashboard. Integrated digitally, the one system should give operators control over the energy systems of the entire resort.

The company claims the system is "smart" and will be able to self-monitor and provide insights to reduce operating costs and overall energy waste.

ABB’s Product Marketing Director for Smart Power, Ahmed Waheedeldin suggested the system could "provide real-time visibility of the system’s performance, which will help to minimise cost and risk while maximising performance and safety across the entire operation".

“We are delighted that ABB has been selected as a trusted partner for this truly innovative project, which will help set new standards for the digitalisation of sustainable power".

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The Red Sea Development Company claims 75 of the islands in the archipelago will "remain undeveloped" in a bid to not disturb local wildlife, with 9 being classed as "special conservation zones". It claims as little as 1% of the land area on the 28,000 sq km site will be built on.

Much of the construction is being built using green concrete produced by local developer Al Falah, and much of the heavy manufacturing needed for construction is being handled off-site.

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