Solar-powered Makkah smart city the future: Al-Bar

The Mayoralty is taking steady and solid steps to transform Makkah into smart city making use of solar power and other alternative energy resources, said Mayor Dr. Osama Al-Bar. “We’ll do everything possible to prevent wastage of energy, which is one of smart city’s principles,” the mayor said while pointing to the growing energy wastage in the Kingdom.

Addressing a forum on the future of alternative energy, Al-Bar said the mayoralty wants to achieve sustainable growth by developing economic resources. The forum was organized by Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in association with White Energy Company and office of Abdul Aziz Mohammed Sindi.

Maher Saleh Jamal, chairman of Makkah chamber, members of its board of directors and prominent business leaders attended the event. “Saudi Arabia’s distinctive geographic position with the sun standing perpendicular to Makkah for nearly four months from May to August enables it to get large amounts of solar energy,” Al-Bar told the forum. The Kingdom also enjoys not less than 11 hours of day time.

Speaking about wind energy and other alternative energy sources, the mayor emphasized the need for conducting more studies on alternative energy sources. “Petrol is a depleting energy source and we should be aware of its future impact on the economy. We should also consider the real price of oil while conducting feasibility studies.”

Al-Bar commended the government’s intensive efforts to promote construction of buildings with thermal insulation, saying it would reduce energy consumption. “This system will have a positive impact on Makkah and other Saudi cities,” he pointed out.

Al-Bar noted the Kingdom’s endeavors to boost alternative energy sources by establishing King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy and its support for studies and research in the field. He said the Kingdom’s first solar energy plant in Makkah would be ready shortly. He urged the Ministry of Water and Electricity and Saudi Electricity Company to make greater efforts toward exploiting alternative energy resources in the country. “The use of smart meters will have a great impact,” he added.

Hassan Mohammed Arif Kansara, a board member of Makkah chamber and chairman of the Trade Committee, highlighted the remarkable progress achieved by the chamber in coping with modern developments in commerce and industrial sectors.

“We organized this forum to educate people on the need to make use of alternative energy resources,” Kansara said, adding that it would reduce dependence on oil and gas.

“Alternative energy has a bright future. Winds can produce double the energy generated from water,” he said, adding that the new energy sources would help achieve sustainable development.

Dr. Hamza Ahmed Ghelman, dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Umm Al-Qura University, gave a presentation on the importance of alternative energy resources. “We have conducted a number of research and studies on wind, solar and wave energies. These sources of energy are environment friendly and will not deplete,” the dean said.

Saudi Arabia started exploiting solar energy as early as 1960 through a French company, Ghelman said. “The cost of producing renewable energy is declining year after year. The cost of producing wind energy in the US fell from 32 cents in 1988 to 8 cents after 8 years. It is expected to reach 3 cents by 2030,” he said.

“The sunny atmosphere in Saudi Arabia, especially Makkah, is a great treasure that should be exploited,” the dean said. “If we had exploited the Empty Quarter, it would have produced energy equal to eight billion barrels of oil daily,” he added.