Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea tourism destination has officially entered commercial operations with what its developers describe as the world’s largest integrated off-grid utilities system powered entirely by renewable energy.
Red Sea Global and ACWA Power announced the operational milestone for the utilities project supporting The Red Sea destination, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The development represents a major step in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to build large-scale tourism infrastructure around clean energy and independent utility networks.
Commercial operations began following the signing of a Commercial Operation Certificate between Marafiq Red Sea for Energy Co. and Red Sea Utilities Co., a subsidiary of Red Sea Global.
Marafiq Red Sea for Energy was established by ACWA Power in partnership with SPIC Huanghe Hydropower and Saudi Tabreed to develop and operate the utilities infrastructure. The agreement also launches a 25-year concession period for the project.
Unlike conventional developments, the system operates independently of Saudi Arabia’s national electricity grid. It currently provides essential services to hotels across The Red Sea destination, Red Sea International Airport, a logistics hub, electric vehicle fleets, staff accommodation and other operational and community facilities.
Five Integrated Utility Services
The project brings together five major utility functions within a single integrated system: renewable power generation, drinking water production, wastewater treatment, district cooling and waste management.
At the center of the energy infrastructure is a 340-megawatt alternating-current solar photovoltaic plant combined with a 1,227-megawatt-hour battery energy storage system.
According to the developers, the battery installation is the world’s largest off-grid battery storage facility. Its large-scale capacity enables the destination to continue using renewable electricity after the sun sets, reducing the need for conventional backup power.
The system has been designed to support the destination’s initial development while allowing additional capacity to be added as future phases are completed.
The renewable energy infrastructure can generate as much as 760,000 megawatt-hours of clean electricity annually. The developers estimate that the system could prevent approximately 600,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year.
Desalination and Water Management
Water infrastructure is another major component of the project.
The utilities system includes three seawater reverse-osmosis desalination plants designed to provide potable water for the destination. It also incorporates a sewage treatment facility capable of processing up to 16,000 cubic meters of wastewater per day.
Rather than simply disposing of treated wastewater, the project will reuse it for environmental and landscaping purposes.
Treated water will help support the surrounding ecosystem, including the development of new wetlands. It will also be used for irrigation at Red Sea Global’s landscape nursery and for landscaping around the Shura Links golf course.
District Cooling and Waste Management
The integrated system also includes district cooling infrastructure designed to provide cooling services across the destination.
A dedicated waste management center forms another part of the utilities network, allowing waste generated by hotels, facilities and other operations to be managed as part of the wider infrastructure system.
By combining these services, the project is intended to reduce the environmental impact associated with operating a large tourism destination while maintaining reliable utilities without relying on the national power grid.
A New Phase for Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project
The start of commercial operations marks a significant development in Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plans for the Red Sea tourism sector.
The destination is being developed with an emphasis on renewable energy, environmental protection and low-carbon infrastructure. Its ability to operate independently from the national electricity grid highlights the scale of the renewable energy and utility systems being deployed across the project.
The partnership between Red Sea Global and ACWA Power is expected to support the destination as additional hotels, infrastructure and other facilities come online.
With its large solar generation capacity, extensive battery storage and integrated water, cooling and waste-management infrastructure, the project represents a major example of how renewable energy can be used to support a large, continuously operating tourism destination.
