Saudi Arabia’s Acwa, the world’s largest private water desalination company, a leader in the energy transition, and a first mover into green hydrogen at scale, has received government approval granting the company the exclusive right to export green hydrogen and its derivatives produced in the Kingdom to international markets, including green ammonia, green methanol and green fuels.
The approval comes as global demand for clean molecules accelerates and as Saudi Arabia moves to convert its renewable resource advantage into long-term export revenues. The government approval supports the Kingdom's strategic objectives of establishing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in clean energy exports and accelerating the development of a diversified, low-carbon economy under Vision 2030, said Acwa in a statement on Tuesday.
Under the approval, Acwa has also been assigned to develop projects for the production, transmission and export of electricity generated from renewable energy sources to European and Arab markets, supporting regional energy security while enabling the export of competitively priced clean electricity from the Kingdom.
Dr. Samir Serhan, Chief Executive Officer of Acwa, said: "This government approval reflects the Kingdom's confidence in Acwa’s ability to deliver strategic infrastructure at scale and reinforces our responsibility to help position Saudi Arabia as a leading global exporter of clean energy.”
“Green hydrogen and renewable electricity exports represent the next chapter in the Kingdom's energy leadership, creating new opportunities for economic growth while contributing to global energy security and the energy transition,” he added.
“We are honored to support this national ambition and remain committed to delivering the infrastructure that creates long-term value for the Kingdom and its partners around the world,” he said.
The mandate builds on Acwa’s established leadership in renewable energy, desalination and its position as a first mover into green hydrogen at scale. The latter includes its role in developing NEOM Green Hydrogen, which is one of the world's largest green hydrogen projects.
It further reinforces the company's position as a strategic national partner in the infrastructure that advances the Kingdom's long-term economic diversification, industrial development and global energy leadership.
Acwa’s current portfolio of 111 assets spans 16 countries, with SAR 468.9 billion / USD 125 billion of assets under management.
Serhan added: “This mandate expands Acwa’s role in contributing to the Kingdom's future clean energy economy and defines the next architecture of Saudi Arabia’s energy export strategy.”
“Our experience in developing, financing, constructing, and operating large-scale renewable energy and green hydrogen projects provides the execution foundation that this assignment demands,” he stressed.
“We look forward to working closely with government entities, strategic partners, and international stakeholders to develop the integrated export infrastructure that connects Saudi Arabia's abundant renewable resources with growing global demand for clean molecules and clean electricity.”
The approval further strengthens Acwa’s long-term growth strategy by adding a sovereign export dimension to an already diversified infrastructure platform, spanning renewable energy, green hydrogen, electricity transmission, and energy infrastructure, while reinforcing Saudi Arabia's position as a reliable supplier of sustainable energy solutions to global markets.
