Saudi Arabia has ambitions to build immeasurable projects at Neom in Tabuk Province. Among the new industrial centres and tourism destinations is the “Line” which will be built as a zero-carbon region. The company that runs Neom is working with Volocopter on electric flying taxis for transportation. However, the Saudi monarchy has stated that while they will promote sustainability, they will not phase out fossil fuels.
Of all the glitzy (mega) projects Saudi Arabia is embarking on, perhaps the most eccentric is Neom. The kingdom plans to spend over half a trillion dollars transforming the desert into 10 futuristic regions, including a floating port city and a yachting hub. The most famous of them is the Line, a 0.12-mile-wide and 105-mile-long city with a mirrored facade. Saudi Arabia hopes Neom will become home to nine million people in a “vertical garden city” with daily essentials within a five-minute walk. It says high-speed rail will take citizens from one end to the other in 20 minutes. It plans to have no roads, traffic or pollution, with everything powered by renewable energy. And it aims to gather much more data about residents and services than other so-called smart cities do.(Business Insider on MSN)
Neom is a complex project. The floating port city is called Oxagon and the Yachting hub is a chain of man-made resort islands in the shape of a sae horse known as Sindalah. However, it is the Line that will stand out as the crowning glory of this project. The 105-mile-long city is not with out its negatives despite its natural charms. Neom is being built as an economic and Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) power house to form part of Saudi Arabia’s transition away from oil. The reason why the linier metropolis is encased in giant twin mirrors is because it wants to reflect the nature of the surrounding areas. The, transportation is virtually dependent on electricity, with ground travel being conduction in trains below ground and most of your shopping done from home with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
This city has a “big brother is watching you” attitude with its obsession of collecting data.
It plans to have four airports to connect it internationally. Only one, Neom Bay Airport, is currently operating. London Heathrow is its only destination outside the Middle East. The route is run by Saudia, the Kingdom’s flag carrier, which on Monday announced the largest aviation order in Saudi history, to the tune of 105 Airbus narrowbody jets. The kingdom hopes more investment in aviation – including the launch of a new airline, Riyad Air – will help promote it as a tourist destination. Boom Supersonic, an American startup designing an airliner that could cross the Atlantic in 3.5 hours and use only sustainable aviation fuel, announced last November an investment from Neom. It didn’t disclose the size of the investment. (Business Insider on MSN)
The Saudi monarchy under its de facto ruler Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman is going about its plans on a grand scale. They are looking to attract investments and give investments in the name of progressing science. The focus on fuel created using renewable energy is a new step for the city. With the dependence now on wind, solar, and hydrogen for Riyadh the transition away from oil will be a slow process. The investment in new economic means, such as air planes that run on renewable energy will not last long unless the Saudis start reaping in from their tourism and what ever exports of renewable, they create through acceleration. MBS as the Saudi Crown Prince is popularly known wants to make his “smart city” a global destination and attract tourists from across the world.
But while the country is pushing renewable energy at home, its pushing for huge profits from fossil fuels abroad. Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan – which includes Neom and the Line – aims to make its economy less reliant on oil, but the kingdom recently suggested it won’t decrease its exports of the fossil fuel. Asked at December’s COP 28 summit whether he’d agree to phasing down fossil fuels, the country’s energy minister said, “Absolutely not,” Bloomberg reported. An investigation by Channel 4 and the centre for Climate Reporting published last November said officials from Saudi Arabia’s Oil Sustainability Program acknowledged the country had a state backed plan to target Africa and Asia with oil products.(Business Insider on MSN)
To the outside world it looks like the Saudi monarchy is building castles in the desert sand, but they are still sticking resolutely with what they are familiar with. Oil is still the life blood of the economy and even if they were to completely switch to renewable energy, they would go bankrupt on the spot if the demand was low. By increasing oil output, they can sustain products whose creation is dependent on oil. These are gasoline, gas for heating, plastics, and various types of petrol such as motor oils and greases. MBS’ main goal in selling these oil products to other markets is to rival its neighbour Qatar and possibly the United Arab Emirates. The same could be said of Iran and Iraq.
Saudi Arabia and MBS are on a role or want to be. If he succeeds in his ambitions whether its in Neom or selling the remainder of the oil for as long as possible, depends on faith. If he fails before his ailing father King Salman dies, he could face being deposed by his own family.
Article written by:
Yacoob Cassim
Journalist at Radio Al Ansaar
