Saudi energy leaders highlight hydrogen, gas and AI plans at Riyadh conference

At the World Petroleum Congress in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, energy leaders discussed the sector’s future.

The talks covered green hydrogen, artificial intelligence and efforts to reduce emissions from transport and logistics, which account for about 30% of global energy demand.

Saudi officials said the NEOM green hydrogen project is 96% complete, with support from the National Development Fund and other partners.

Aramco plans to increase gas sales by 80% by 2030 compared with 2020 and 2021 levels, and said it will start operating six to seven gas and liquefied gas facilities from 2025 to 2027.

Saudi Arabia’s Green Initiative sets a framework for reaching net zero emissions by 2060, while the country is expanding public transport, including Riyadh’s 187-kilometre metro network.

Speakers also discussed how AI could help forecast electricity demand, detect faults in power networks and support energy operations.

Reliable, competitively priced electricity is important for AI data centres, and the conference discussions linked energy investment and technology to meeting that demand.