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ACWA Power: Necessary Studies Underway for Green Hydrogen Project in Egypt

Hydrogen is an important source of clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. (Reuters)
Hydrogen is an important source of clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. (Reuters)
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ACWA Power: Necessary Studies Underway for Green Hydrogen Project in Egypt

Hydrogen is an important source of clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. (Reuters)
Hydrogen is an important source of clean energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the effects of climate change. (Reuters)

Vice Chairman and Managing Director of ACWA Power Saudi Arabia Raad Al-Saady revealed that necessary studies to develop the green hydrogen project in Egypt were underway.  

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Saady stressed that Saudi Arabia has enormous potential to export hydrogen thanks to its strategic location and rich natural resources, including vast areas, an abundance of solar energy and wind power, which all make it a leading force in producing and exporting green hydrogen to all parts of the world.  

In December, ACWA Power signed a framework agreement with Egypt to develop the first phase of the green hydrogen project in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, with a total investment exceeding $4 billion.  

Al-Saady explained that the first phase of the project includes developing green ammonia with a capacity of 600,000 tons annually, with the aim to reach a production of two million tons per year in the second phase of the project.  

He added that ACWA Power aims to become a major exporter of green hydrogen in the world, with a special focus on Europe and the Middle East.  

He noted that the Kingdom was progressing steadily towards achieving sustainability goals and diversifying energy sources, through the implementation of major projects within the framework of Vision 2030 with the aim to reach net zero emissions by 2060.  

He added that Saudi Arabia has all the elements that will push it to achieve great success in the green hydrogen sector in the near future, citing the NEOM green hydrogen project, which has a production capacity of 1.2 million tons annually of green ammonia.

Al-Saady stressed that ACWA Power was seeking to reach zero emissions by 2050, explaining that the company is working to develop multiple projects to generate solar energy in different parts of the Kingdom, which contribute significantly to attaining the goals of sustainability and development in the region.  

He added that such projects create new job opportunities, in addition to helping in the development of local content in the energy, water desalination, and green hydrogen sectors.  

ACWA Power, which was established in 2004, is currently present in 12 countries, and its portfolio includes 81 stations under operation or construction, or in advanced stages of development, with an investment value of SAR 317.8 billion ($84.7 billion).

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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
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Fire, Smoke Upend Western Canada’s Summer Tourism Season

A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)
A helicopter works a forest fire outside of Jasper, Alberta, Canada, on Friday July 26, 2024. (Reuters)

Severe wildfire seasons are increasingly hurting western Canada's lucrative tourism industry, with some visitors beginning to avoid the busy late-summer months due to concerns about uncontrolled blazes, smoke-filled skies and road closures.

After a scorching start to July, nearly 600 wildfires are now ablaze across British Columbia and Alberta, including a huge fire that this week devastated the picturesque tourist town of Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.

Dozens of communities, including popular holiday spots in British Columbia's Kootenay region, are under evacuation orders and several highways are closed.

This year's surge in wildfire activity comes after Canada endured its worst-ever year for wildfires in 2023, when more than 15 million hectares (37 million acres) burned, including parts of the city of West Kelowna in the heart of British Columbia's wine region.

Ellen Walker-Matthews, head of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association, said the industry was seeing a lot more last-minute travel decisions instead of booking in advance.

"It's a huge blow. July and August are traditionally the busiest months in the region," said Walker-Matthews, adding that while her region has been relatively unscathed by wildfires this summer, some visitors are choosing to avoid interior British Columbia altogether.

The members of the British Columbia Lodging and Campgrounds Association are reporting a 5-15% drop in bookings from a year ago, with the biggest declines coming from the hotter Okanagan and Cariboo regions, said Joss Penny, who heads the association.

"The concern is that this is something we have to live with and we have it every year now," said Penny.

Although wildfires in Canada's forests are natural and common, scientists say drier, hotter conditions fueled by climate change are leading to more volatile and frequent blazes.

'SMOKEY SKIES'

Some events, like the Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival, usually held in August, have now been rescheduled to earlier in the summer to avoid what is now seen as peak smoke season. The festival, which was cancelled last year due to nearby wildfires, was this year moved to July to benefit from "less smokey skies."

Wildfires and extreme climatic events are prompting tourists to "change their plans not just temporarily, but permanently," said Elizabeth Halpenny, a tourism researcher and professor at the University of Alberta, noting that seasonal workers in the sector are often the hardest hit as they have few protections during a bad season or amid a cataclysmic fire.

Tourism contributed C$7.2 billion to the British Columbia economy in 2022, and C$9.9 billion to Alberta in 2023, according to the latest government data.

Jasper National Park is one of Canada's premier tourist destinations, with more than 2 million visitors a year flocking to see its pristine mountain landscapes and abundant wildlife, including grizzly bears, moose and elk.

Kelly Torrens, vice-president of product at international tour company Kensington Tours, described western Canada as a bucket-list destination. But the company now has 49 trips that were supposed to pass through Jasper this season in limbo. Six others were forced to evacuate the park when the fire hit.

Parks Canada has cancelled all camping reservations within Jasper National Park until Aug. 6 and with potentially 50% of the town's structures destroyed by fire, the cleanup and rebuild could take years.

Halpenny is among those hedging their bets.

"I've booked a campsite stay in the mountain parks but at the same time, I booked a campsite out on the prairie somewhere and that's my backup plan because I don't want to miss out on my vacation with my family."