Saudi Arabia strategic Projects: news, discussions & updates

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The KAUST Laboratory will be able to develop the first 2D-CMOS hybrid electronic chip for complementary metal oxide semiconductors.

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2D-CMOS technology is a future technology in the semiconductor industry
Where 2D materials are used, such as:

MoS₂ (molybdenum disulfide)
WSe₂, WS₂, graphene and others

Instead of traditional silicon in manufacturing CMOS transistors.

Its features:

Transistor miniaturization: only atoms thick, less than 1 nanometer manufacturing technology can be achieved
High electron speed: Higher performance than silicon thanks to faster electron movement
Amazing energy efficiency: Operates at low voltage, consuming up to 90% less energy.
Mechanical flexibility: making on flexible surfaces, foldable displays and wearable devices
 
Korean News Agency "Yonhap":

Rebellions, a Korean company specializing in semiconductors for artificial intelligence, establishes a new unit in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as part of its plan to enter the Middle East market and enhance its presence in the region.

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The National Semiconductor Center (NSH) announces that it has received 68 applications from emerging companies, researchers and innovators from around the world, which reflects the growing interest in developing semiconductor design from Saudi Arabia. The review process continues until October, with the final selection being completed by the end of November.

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Months ago, 50 ambitious engineers began a journey with @ChipXPRT at the National Semiconductor Hub (NSH) — united by a vision for the Kingdom.Today, they’ve mastered Microarchitecture, written synthesis-aware RTL, built RISC-V SoCs, verified at CPU/IP/SoC levels, and are now working on Physical Design for chips headed to TSMC tapeout.

It’s more than chips, it’s capability, confidence, and community. This program lays the foundation of Saudi Arabia’s semiconductor ecosystem, aligned with Vision 2030. These engineers are future leaders, ready to power 50 new NSH-backed companies and departments across the region.

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The first batch is considered a good number in the field of designing semiconductor chips.

In the field of semiconductor chip manufacturing, the number of graduates in 2030 will be 5,000.
 
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We would like to congratulate Pearl Semiconductor on being awarded the Relocate Grant by NTDP to establish operations in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Pearl Semiconductor is known for its cutting-edge analog and mixed-signal technologies, and their expansion into the Kingdom marks another milestone in the rapid evolution of Saudi Arabia’s semiconductor industry.
With over 30 companies now actively shaping the fabless landscape and that number growing fast, Pearl Semiconductor’s entry strengthens this momentum.

We look forward to supporting Pearl Semiconductor as they become part of a dynamic, collaborative community of innovators driving the next generation of semiconductor design and development from within the National Semiconductor Hub (NSH)
 
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Si-Ware Systems, a company specializing in MEMS and semiconductor technologies, announced the establishment of a new center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after receiving a Relocate grant from the National Semiconductor Development Program (NTDP).

Si-Ware is a global leader in the development of spectrometer technologies, having created the world's smallest single-chip MEMS spectrometer. Its entry into the Saudi market comes within the Kingdom's industrial expansion strategy in the semiconductor sector, and as part of efforts to build a local design system (Fabless) with global competitive capabilities.

The company's new headquarters is located within the National Semiconductor Center (NSH), and aims to foster cooperation in developing advanced technologies including spectral sensing systems and inertial technologies, with a special focus on industrial applications in areas such as energy and automotive.

This expansion represents a qualitative addition to the Deep-Tech system in Saudi Arabia, and a new step towards consolidating the Kingdom’s position as a regional center for precision industries and innovation.
 
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InfiniLink has secured funding from Sukna Ventures to support and accelerate its innovation efforts in Saudi Arabia. InfiniLink focuses on developing connectivity solutions for smart data centers using high-speed SerDes technologies and optical transceiver chips based on silicon and silicon photonics technologies.

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The company's presence in Saudi Arabia comes within the framework of developing the ecosystem of advanced semiconductor companies that work to innovate on a global scale. InfiniLink also joined the National Semiconductor Center (NSH) in the Kingdom, a platform aimed at supporting and developing the semiconductor industry locally.
 
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The Photonics Laboratory at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology is investigating semiconductor lasers and photonic integrated circuits for wide applications optical communications, solid-state lighting and sensors. KAUST and Photonics Lab are well equipped with necessary facilities for semiconductor material growth such as molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), nano-fabrication, and photonic and optoelectronic materials and device characterizations.

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Lightelligence joins the National Semiconductor Center (NSH) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia​

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Lightelligence, a company specializing in optical computing technologies to accelerate artificial intelligence, announced that it has joined the National Semiconductor Center (NSH), which is considered one of the most prominent national initiatives in developing the semiconductor ecosystem in the Kingdom.
 
@The SC

Great updates.

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"On a personal note, I'm in my early forties, and I genuinely believe that within my lifetime I may board a train in Riyadh and step off in Paris.It may sound almost unthinkable today, but it offers a glimpse of the scale of Saudi Arabia's logistical ambition. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman never thinks average. In less than a decade, he has strengthened Saudi Arabia's position as a bridge between three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe, and as a hub in global logistics.From energy and petrochemicals to food, fertilizers, minerals, and more, global trade increasingly sees Saudi Arabia as indispensable. And the story has only just begun."

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Over 10,000 volunteers help transform Saudi public spaces​

Over 10,000 volunteers help transform Saudi public spaces

1 / 3
A total of 10,213 volunteers participated, contributing more than 50,000 volunteer hours across all regions of the Kingdom. (SPA)

Over 10,000 volunteers help transform Saudi public spaces

2 / 3
A total of 10,213 volunteers participated, contributing more than 50,000 volunteer hours across all regions of the Kingdom. (SPA)

Over 10,000 volunteers help transform Saudi public spaces

3 / 3
A total of 10,213 volunteers participated, contributing more than 50,000 volunteer hours across all regions of the Kingdom. (SPA)

RIYADH: The Ministry of Municipalities and Housing concluded its urban beautification volunteer initiative after achieving its field and public awareness goals.

A total of 10,213 volunteers participated, contributing more than 50,000 volunteer hours across all regions of the Kingdom.

The initiative also engaged public school students in field activities and awareness campaigns at public facilities, municipal sites, and schools.

The activities promoted social responsibility among young people and encouraged them to help preserve the urban environment and public facilities.

The initiative focused on three main areas: traffic safety, tree planting, and urban beautification through painting.

The ministry said the initiative aims to improve cities, enhance quality of life, and create more sustainable and vibrant urban environments.


As covered in previous pages, KSA has restored/regreened an area the size of Lebanon since 2016.

UNCCD (a UN branch)


covered this milestone/achievement in a video a few months ago:

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Last edited:

Saudi Arabia qualifies 27 bidders in 12 GWh battery tender​


Jul 2, 2026, 1:47:57 PMArticle by Anna Vassileva

Saudi Arabia has prequalified 27 developers which will compete for six 500 MW/2,000 MWh battery energy storage projects across the Kingdom to be awarded under the National Renewable Energy Programme (NREP).

The list of qualified bidders was unveiled by the Saudi Power Procurement Company (SPPC). It includes Masdar, ACWA Power, Al Jomaih Energy and Water Company Co, Alfanar, China Longyuan Power Group, China Southern Power Grid International (HK) Co.(CSGIHK), Cox Energy EPC, EDF, Envision Energy Co, Grupo Empresarial Enhol, Hefei Gotion High-Tech Power Energy Co., Ltd, International Power S.A (IPSA) acting through its Dubai branch, Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), Korea Western Power Co, Marubeni Corp., Nesma Renewable Energy, Nextgen, PowerChina, Pro-Power Investment, Saudi Energy Company, SPIC Shanghai Electric Power Co, Sumitomo Corp. Tesla Motors Netherlands, TNB Power Generation Sdn., TNB Renewables Sdn. Bhd., TotalEnergies Renewables SAS and WahajPeak Holdings.

The tender was launched in April and offers the Samha project in the Qassim region, Al-Leeth, Ashyrah and Khulis projects in the Makkah region, Al-Henakiyah in the Madinah region and Sadawi in the Eastern Province.


More information below:


LONGi and Saudi Water Authority Sign Strategic MoU to Advance Renewable Energy Integration and Digital Transformation of Saudi Water Sector​



World’s Biggest Green Hydrogen Project Blows Off Trump, Bigly​


neom green hydrogen wind turbines

Two hundred and fifty-seven wind turbines and a solar farm the size of Manhattan will provide renewable energy to power the world's largest green hydrogen plant, located in Saudi Arabia (courtesy of NGHC).

The Intertubes are buzzing with news that US President Donald Trump has flushed more than $121 billion in renewable energy investments down the toilet, but here’s the thing. It’s a big world out there. Investors can pack up and take their business elsewhere, and they are doing just that. Take the global green hydrogen industry, for example. Trump can do nothing to stop the world’s biggest green hydrogen project from launching in Saudi Arabia, with a healthy assist from the US firm Air Products.

$121 Billion In Renewable Energy Projects, Down The Drain…​

For those of you new to the topic, green hydrogen is an emerging alternative to the current hydrogen supply chain, which consists of natural gas along with coal to a lesser extent. Among the alternatives under exploration, water electrolysis has attracted the most attention so far. Electrolysis systems jolt hydrogen gas from water, ideally with an electrical current supplied by wind, solar, or other renewable resources.

The US has renewable energy in abundance, and a Biden era program called Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs aimed to stimulate activity in the green hydrogen field for export as well as domestic use. However, it sure looks like Trump did his friends in the Middle East a solid when he knocked the pins out from under the Hydrogen Hubs program last year.

Trump also put the brakes on two key supportive US industries, namely wind and solar. As a result, US green hydrogen stakeholders are sidelined while investors in the Middle East have a clear shot at supplying Europe and other regions around the globe.

Don’t just take my word for it. That figure of $121 billion in lost and at-risk investments comes from Wood Mackenzie. In a report issued earlier this week, the firm took note of 7 gigawatts in canceled or delayed renewable energy projects on federal property last year, with another 12 gigawatts also at risk, and much more — 80 gigawatts — at risk on private property.

Pennsylvania On The World Stage​

As for the world’s biggest green hydrogen project, that monster of an effort is located in the industrial city of Oxagon, located in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious technology development and lifestyle centerpiece NEOM. The NEOM region sprawls across northwestern Saudi Arabia to the coast of the Red Sea.

Ownership of the hydrogen project comes under the NEOM Green Hydrogen Company, which is a joint venture between NEOM, the Saudi firm ACWA Power, and Pennsylvania-headquartered Air Products.

Pennsylvania…who knew? Nevertheless, Air Products has been a leading US and global industrial gas producer for decades. The company re-affirmed its domestic roots in 2018, when it announced that its new global headquarters would be located in Pennsylvania, just about a mile from its old headquarters.

Good News For The World’s Biggest Green Hydrogen Project…​

The NEOM hydrogen project has largely flown under the CleanTechnica radar, so now would be a good time to catch up. Last year, NGHC reported that the project was 80% complete, listing wind turbines, hydrogen storage vessels, and electrolysers among the key elements completed, alongside a solar array and a transmission grid.

At the time, NGHC sounded confident that the project was on track with a total of 4 gigawatts’ worth of wind and solar power to run the electrolysers. If all goes according to plan, the turbines and solar panels should start generating electricity around the middle of 2026 — right about now, as a matter of fact — with electrolysers to be commissioned next year and distribution to follow right behind.

By distribution, NGHC includes green ammonia. Produced with green hydrogen and ambient nitrogen, green ammonia (chemical formula H3N) can be used as-is for fertilizer and other industrial products, or cracked to release hydrogen gas at the user end. The underlying idea is that ammonia is more economical to transport by ship, compared to hydrogen gas.

The new hydrogen facility is designed to produce 600 tonnes (about 661 US tons) of green ammonia per day. NGHC has not posted an update on its website since June of 2025, but Air Products has indicated that all is going to plan. Earlier this morning, the company announced that it is taking the final steps to nail down a marketing and distribution agreement with the Norway-based global firm Yara, as off-takers for ammonia produced by the green hydrogen project.



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Interesting article from CNN from November 2025:

This oil-rich country has stood in the way of climate action. It’s quietly building a clean energy empire​

By Laura Paddison
NOV 17, 2025


Quite frankly, KSA should be (given the huge landmass, ideal conditions in many places, potential, investment power and political will) and likely will be a global renewables energy power.
 

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