5 Saudi Cities Replace 200,000 Streetlamps

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP)
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5 Saudi Cities Replace 200,000 Streetlamps

A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP)
A night view of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. (AP)

Five Saudi cities have started replacing 200,000 streetlamps aiming at reducing energy consumption by 77 percent.

The National Energy Services Company (Tarshid) has kicked off the second phase of the streetlights renovation program in Saudi cities, including Dammam, Khobar, Dhahran, Al Ahsa and Sakakah.

Tarshid said in a statement Monday that the expected energy saving in the first phase of the project in those cities is 70 to 77 percent of electricity consumption, amounting to 314,052,541 kWh. This will be achieved by installing around 216,700 LED lamps, considered more rationalizing than traditional lamps. LED lamps save around 241,257,257 kWh/y with a better efficiency.

According to the contract signed by Tarshid and the managements of those regions, 70,000 LED lamps will be installed in Dammam, 42,000 in Khobar and Dhahran, 74,000 in Al Ahsa, and 31,000 Sakakah, as part of the streetlights renovation program that debuted in Riyadh.

The company seeks to renovate over two million lamps in the streets in the coming period, by installing rationalizing lamps based on technical studies and global standards adopted in the energy efficiency field.

Tarshid said these projects come as part of Saudi Arabia's plan to reduce electricity consumption by raising energy efficiency in the public sector. The total energy consumption in the public sector is 38.5 GWh, up to 13 percent of the overall consumption in the Kingdom.

As per the coming projects, Tarshid revealed that preparations are ongoing to launch the third phase of the lamps replacement project in more cities, including Jeddah, Al-Qassim, Riyadh, and some provinces in Al-Jawf region in February.

The total renovated lamps in Saudi Arabia are set to reach 500,000 after the completion of these projects.



Saudi Arabia and Spain Discuss Opportunities to Localize the Drone, Ships and Cars Industry

One of the bilateral meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources in Spain (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the bilateral meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources in Spain (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia and Spain Discuss Opportunities to Localize the Drone, Ships and Cars Industry

One of the bilateral meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources in Spain (Asharq Al-Awsat)
One of the bilateral meetings held by the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources in Spain (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Al-Khorayef have discussed mutual opportunities with leaders of major Spanish companies to localize advanced industries, which are a key focus of Saudi Arabia’s National Industrial Strategy.

These industries include the localization of heavy-payload drone manufacturing and its components, automobile design and engineering, shipbuilding, and the preservation of supply chains for these sectors. The discussions also emphasized the development of comprehensive and sustainable geological survey processes.

Al-Khorayef began his official visit to Spain on Thursday, focusing on opportunities to enhance human resource development in the industrial and mining sectors, exploring sustainable mining solutions, and attracting Spanish mining companies to invest in the promising opportunities available in Saudi Arabia’s mining sector.

During bilateral meetings with Spanish companies in Madrid on Saturday, Al-Khorayef explored joint opportunities in drone and automobile manufacturing, and the advancement of geological surveys. The meetings were attended by Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Spain, Princess Haifa bint Abdulaziz Al-Mogrin, and the CEO of the National Industrial Development Center, Eng. Saleh Al-Sulami.

The Spanish companies Al-Khorayef met with included Drone Hopper, which specializes in drone manufacturing, Ferroglobe in the mining sector, and Reinosa Forgins & Casting, which is a leader in supplying the shipbuilding, cement, and heavy equipment industries. Other companies included IDIADA, renowned for car design and engineering, and Xcalibur, which focuses on geological surveys.

Additionally, Al-Khorayef met with Ana Maria Alonso Zarza, Director of the Spanish Geological and Mining Institute, to discuss collaboration opportunities in geological research and the provision of high-quality and precise geological data for various scientific and industrial applications.

In terms of trade, non-oil exports from Saudi Arabia to Spain amounted to SAR 2.72 billion ($725.3 million) in 2023. These exports included chemical products, plastics and their derivatives, and base metals and their products. In the same year, non-oil imports from Spain reached SAR 9.13 billion ($2.4 billion), comprising electrical machines and equipment, pharmaceutical products, and essential oils.