As climate change challenges intensify globally, the demand for energy efficiency and clean technology solutions continues to grow. A recent collaboration between KAUST, Aramco, and Linde Engineering is a great example of a rising commitment to improving clean energy practices and implementing cutting-edge technologies in industrial settings.
Through its collaborative projects, KAUST offers direct services to local industries, focusing on energy efficiency research for industry and the development of clean energy solutions. One such contribution includes a newly developed ammonia cracking catalyst by KAUST and ARAMCO, which served as the base for a bigger collaboration between the energy giant and Linde Engineering to develop pioneering ammonia cracking technology. The technology converts ammonia back into hydrogen, enabling it to serve as an efficient carrier for clean energy transport and storage, a significant step toward producing lower-emission hydrogen energy solutions. By developing such technologies as research and services for industry, KAUST fosters new sustainable energy practices in Saudi Arabia’s industrial sector.
In another development, the KAUST Fuel Lubricants Efficient Engine Technology (FLEET) Consortium celebrated its economic and environmental contributions to the transportation sector and announced eight new projects, including the exploration of lubricants in electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles. The consortium, co-convened by KAUST and consisting of a group of industry partners from the transportation sector such as Hyundai, Toyota, and ARAMCO, is setting a benchmark in the transportation sector for energy-efficient practices, showcasing a strong collaboration between the academic and industry sectors, and aiming to translate research into impact – from renewable e-fuels, to public transit running with hydrogen fuel cells.
Such partnerships and services align closely with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 by contributing to a diversified economy that prioritizes clean technology and showcase how these collaborative approaches not only enhance Saudi Arabia’s energy resilience but also strengthen its industrial capabilities, promoting economic growth and technological advancements in the energy sector. They also align with the UN SDGs, particularly SDG 7, Affordable and Clean Energy, by promoting low-emission solutions; SDG 9, Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, by advancing energy-efficient technologies in industrial and transportation sectors; SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, by developing cleaner transit options; and SDG 13, Climate Action by contributing to significant emissions reductions.
To learn more about the Aramco-Linde collaboration and KAUST FLEET Consortium’s economic and environmental accomplishments click here and here, respectively.
