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Saudi Arabia Aims to Develop New Plant to Localize Wind Energy

NEOM Green Hydrogen has recently announced the delivery of the first batch of turbines for the new plant (Asharq Al-Awsat)
NEOM Green Hydrogen has recently announced the delivery of the first batch of turbines for the new plant (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia Aims to Develop New Plant to Localize Wind Energy

NEOM Green Hydrogen has recently announced the delivery of the first batch of turbines for the new plant (Asharq Al-Awsat)
NEOM Green Hydrogen has recently announced the delivery of the first batch of turbines for the new plant (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) and China’s second-largest wind turbine manufacturer are close to a deal to develop a new plant in the Kingdom to help boost renewable power production by building a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia as part of the country’s efforts to localize supply chains.

The Saudi sovereign wealth fund and Vision Industries, a privately owned renewable-energy manufacturing company, could sign an agreement with Envision Energy Co., as soon as this week, Bloomberg said on Monday, quoting people familiar with the matter.

The deal would involve the PIF, which controls nearly $1 trillion of assets, and the two other partners building a wind turbine manufacturing plant in Saudi Arabia as part of the Kingdom’s efforts to localize supply chains, according to the people.

Envision is expected to be the majority investor in the partnership, they said, declining to be named discussing confidential information.

Envision already has significant business in Saudi Arabia, which is investing billions of dollars in renewables to stop burning oil for power.

The Chinese firm supplies wind turbines for the almost $9 billion Neom Green Hydrogen Co., which will use 4 gigawatts of solar and wind power to create clean hydrogen.

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Oil Prices Ease but Remain Near 2-week Highs on Russia, Iran Tensions

FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford//File Photo
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Oil Prices Ease but Remain Near 2-week Highs on Russia, Iran Tensions

FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford//File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Pump jacks operate in front of a drilling rig in an oil field in Midland, Texas US August 22, 2018. Picture taken August 22, 2018. REUTERS/Nick Oxford//File Photo

Oil prices retreated on Monday following 6% gains last week, but remained near two-week highs as geopolitical tensions grew between Western powers and major oil producers Russia and Iran, raising risks of supply disruption.
Brent crude futures slipped 26 cents, or 0.35%, to $74.91 a barrel by 0440 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were at $70.97 a barrel, down 27 cents, or 0.38%.
Both contracts last week notched their biggest weekly gains since late September to reach their highest settlement levels since Nov. 7 after Russia fired a hypersonic missile at Ukraine in a warning to the United States and UK following strikes by Kyiv on Russia using US and British weapons.
"Oil prices are starting the new week with some slight cool-off as market participants await more cues from geopolitical developments and the Fed’s policy outlook to set the tone," said Yeap Jun Rong, market strategist at IG.
"Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have edged up a notch lately, leading to some pricing for the risks of a wider escalation potentially impacting oil supplies."
As both Ukraine and Russia vie to gain some leverage ahead of any upcoming negotiations under a Trump administration, the tensions may likely persist into the year-end, keeping Brent prices supported around $70-$80, Yeap added.
In addition, Iran reacted to a resolution passed by the UN nuclear watchdog on Thursday by ordering measures such as activating various new and advanced centrifuges used in enriching uranium.
"The IAEA censure and Iran’s response heightens the likelihood that Trump will look to enforce sanctions against Iran’s oil exports when he comes into power," Vivek Dhar, a commodities strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia said in a note.
Enforced sanctions could sideline about 1 million barrels per day of Iran’s oil exports, about 1% of global oil supply, he said.
The Iranian foreign ministry said on Sunday that it will hold talks about its disputed nuclear program with three European powers on Nov. 29.
"Markets are concerned not only about damage to oil ports and infrastructure, but also the possibility of war contagion and involvement of more countries," said Priyanka Sachdeva, senior market analyst at Phillip Nova.
Investors were also focused on rising crude oil demand at China and India, the world's top and third-largest importers, respectively.
China's crude imports rebounded in November as lower prices drew stockpiling demand while Indian refiners increased crude throughput by 3% on year to 5.04 million bpd in October, buoyed by fuel exports.
For the week, traders will be eyeing US personal consumption expenditures (PCE) data, due on Wednesday, as that will likely inform the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting scheduled for Dec. 17-18, Sachdeva said.