Saudi Arabia set to build 'world's largest' battery storage to power tourist site

 

We’re always interested to hear about the different ways that nations are making use of solar, from homes, to offices to major industry, but one area we haven’t covered much to date is tourism and hospitality.

That’s why it was so interesting to us to hear recently that Saudi Arabia appears to be planning what is claimed to be the world’s largest battery storage site, which they plan to use to power a huge new tourist complex by the Red Sea.

The project, which is estimated to take a decade to reach its full completion, is being carried out by The Red Sea Development Company and is going to use an eventual 1GWh-worth of battery storage to ensure that the biggest holiday complex on the planet will be fully powered by renewable energy 24/7.

The first phase will include the addition of 210MW in wind and solar generation, with the aim of being in place by 2022 and powering the 12 hotels and an airport that should be up and running by this point. 

By the time the project culminates in 2030, it is likely to be a 28,000 sq km site featuring a staggering 50 hotels, as well as 1,300 residential properties spread across 22 islands and six inland sites. It is said that it will promise “unforgettable luxury” to anyone who visits, not to mention nearby natural and cultural wonders including mountain canyons, dormant volcanoes, and ancient heritage sites.

There is no word yet on the exact solar storage cost that will be involved, but it is projected that by the end of the project, the site itself will have cost over $10bn!

John Pagano, who is Red Sea Development Company CEO, stated: “With the largest battery storage facility in the world in place, we guarantee that the development is 100% powered by renewable energy 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, an accomplishment which has never been achieved on a project of this scale before.”

We’ll certainly be interested to see this project take shape as Saudi Arabia looks to take its place as one of the leading proponents of renewable energy and solar storage going forward.