Saudi-based energy company ACWA Power has tied up with China-based Huawei Digital Power, a provider of digital power products and solutions, to form a joint-innovation program in Saudi Arabia. It was aimed to accelerate the growth of local industries and boost decarbonization goals.
As per the agreement, both firms will focus on developing a renewable energy partnership that aims at engineering cutting-edge technology. The technology will not only optimize the efficiency of renewable energy projects but also would reduce associated costs.
The firms believe that by leveraging local expertise and resources, the collaboration would help drive advancements in renewable energy production and energy storage projects, eventually enabling progress toward sustainable economies.
Thomas Altmann, Executive Vice President of Innovation & New Technology at ACWA Power, said, “Collaboration is a key pillar of our approach to renewable energy development in Saudi Arabia, aligning with the objectives outlined in Vision 2030. This partnership with Huawei supports our ambitious renewable energy goals and contributes to the development of a thriving research and innovation ecosystem locally. By joining forces with one of the world’s top digital power companies, we ensure our projects are optimized to meet the Kingdom’s renewable energy needs, providing affordable and sustainable power solutions for our communities.”
The R&D program is expected to enhance renewable energy projects in Saudi Arabia. The partnership will focus on the design of photovoltaic (PV) strings, maximizing solar module capacity while reducing the number of strings required for each project. The innovation is expected to significantly lower the balance of system (BOS) costs, reducing installation and maintenance costs.
Furthermore, the firm said the partnership would explore the implementation of micro-grid simulations to optimize performance based on specific energy needs. The advanced controllers will improve energy management, load balancing, and grid stability, enabling microgrids to adapt to changing conditions seamlessly. The innovations are expected to increase renewable energy utilization, reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
With this, ACWA Power can implement these advanced controllers in any project that integrates and hybridizes power generation, energy storage, and loads, the firm informed.
Yao Jiang, President of Huawei ME&CA Digital Power Business Department, said, “As renewable energy deployment scales up significantly in the Kingdom and the wider Gulf region, ACWA Power is taking a step further by enhancing project outputs and addressing cost considerations. We are honoured to work with ACWA Power and contribute to the low-carbon vision and strategy of the Kingdom, leveraging our expertise in providing combined digital technology and power generation solutions.”
Further, Huawei Digital Power is also collaborating with ACWA Power and Chinese engineering firm SEPCOIII to develop a 1,300MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) for The Red Sea Project’s energy storage facility.
