The microgrid in the western Red Sea is set to provide clean energy for a city covering approximately 28,000 km2.
The Red Sea City Project in Saudi Arabia is attracting attention as it constructs the largest solar energy storage microgrid in the world, according to a report by Interesting Engineering on August 19. With a solar power system of 400 MW and an energy storage system of 1.3 GWh, the project aims to revolutionize sustainable energy solutions in the hospitality and customer service sectors.
The largest solar energy storage microgrid in the world will be built in Saudi Arabia. (Photo: Huawei)
This ambitious project is led by technology giant Huawei, aiming to power a key tourist destination developed by Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Global company.
Located on the southwestern coast of Tabuk Province, on the western Red Sea, the Red Sea City Project spans approximately 28,000 km2. When completed in 2030, it will feature 50 hotels with 8,000 rooms and over 1,000 residential units across 22 islands and 6 inland locations. The city is expected to accommodate up to one million tourists annually, all benefiting from a clean energy source that does not require connection to external power grids.
“This place is expected to become the world’s first destination to fully utilize clean energy,” said Alex Xing, President of Huawei Digital Power for the Middle East and Central Asia.
The project will utilize Huawei’s FusionSolar Smart Energy Storage Solution (ESS), a microgrid solution enabling the Red Sea City to meet its own energy demands. The intermittent and variable nature of solar and wind energy necessitates energy storage to ensure the safe and stable operation of renewable energy projects. The ESS microgrid will be a key element in allowing the Red Sea City to operate entirely on renewable energy.
“Microgrids are not new to the power industry. However, the Red Sea microgrid is unique because it only uses renewable energy sources and is completely disconnected from any external power grid. Leading the way in digital technologies, Huawei is among the few companies providing advanced power technology, building and stabilizing the grid through virtual synchronous machines,” Xing stated.
