RESEARCH

Hydrogen, Methanol & Fuel Cell Branch

The objectives of this branch are:

• Carrying out research and development activities in the area of hydrogen production, methanol production, CO₂ conversion to methanol, component development of fuel cells. 

• Technology transfer in the above mentioned research areas.

• Helping nucleation of component manufacture for fuel cells.

• Setting up demonstration units and vehicles. 

• Developing and organizing awareness and training programs in the potential use of renewable energy.

Solar & Wind Branch

The objectives of this branch are:

• Investigating the potential of solar and wind energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

• Technology Transfer and development in the area of wind and solar energy.

• Helping nucleation of the manufacturing plants for wind and solar energy equipments

• Developing and organizing awareness and training programs in the potential use of renewable energy.

Advanced Energy Storage Branch

The objectives of this branch are:

• Investigating the use of new electrochemical systems for energy storage

• Conduct Techno-economic evaluation of advanced energy storage systems suitable for Saudi Arabian conditions

• Technology transfer and development in the area of advanced energy storage system

• Developing and organizing awareness and training programs in this area.

• Helping local/international investor to start component manufacturin

Electrical Infrastructure & Control Systems Branch

The objectives of this branch are:

• Investigating the electrical infrastructure and control system that is used for wind energy and solar energy.

• Technology transfer and development in the area of electrical infrastructure and control systems.

• Developing and organizing awareness and training programs in this area.

• Helping local/international investor to start component manufacturing
  

Economics of Renewable Energy Branch

The objective of this research area would be to look at the various issues surrounding the viability of various sources of renewable energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its neighboring GCC countries. To achieve this we will have to study various renewable energy models will be studied. Such models are currently being used or being implemented in Europe (in particular, Germany and France) and in the United States.

The Renewable Global Status Report 2006 update “World Watch Institute Washington D.C.” (www.REN21.net) reported that governments around the world spent $38 billion in 2005 on renewable energy capacity with Germany and China being the key contributors with about $7 billion each, followed by United States, Spain, Japan and India. Wind power registered the second highest added capacity, almost as much as large hydropower, with existing capacity growing at 24 % and expected to reach 59 gigawatts (GW). Biomass power production saw 50 -100 percent increases in annual production in several countries in 2004. High growth rates also occurred in biodiesel (85 % increase in annual production) and grid-connected solar PV (55 % increase in existing capacity). Solar hot water existing capacity grew by 23 percent in China and reached record levels across Europe as well. And construction began in the United States and Spain on the world’s first utility-scale solar thermal power plants in 20 years. In ethanol, U.S. production caught up to Brazil, long the world’s leading producer, and three new European Union (EU) countries became producers. In biodiesel, nine new EU countries became producers.

In 2006, developing countries took new steps in record numbers to incorporate renewables into their energy systems, including programs and new policy developments in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, India, Iran, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkey, and Uganda.

Based on the above, we believe the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will have to look at alternative blended fuels in order to reduce the emissions in the air. For example, oxygenated petroleum could be looked at how countries like Brazil use ethanol as a pure fuel in cars or as a blended type fuel called “flexi” fuel, which is a blend of ethanol and gasoline.

We would like to investigate the possibility of blending Saudi’s existing hydrocarbon fuels with alternative renewable fuels to make them cost effective. This would require extensive global research on application of these blending processes of hydrocarbons with renewable energy sources.