Oman kicks off operations on the first phase of the country’s North-South interconnection project

Good morning, nice people. We have a compact issue for you this morning as we head into the weekend, with a significant update emerging from Oman…

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY- Oman’s national grid operator The Oman Electricity Transmission Company has kicked off operations on an OMR 372 mn (c. USD 966.4 mn) interconnector project spanning 670 km from the north of the country to the south.

^^ We have the details on this story and more in the news well, below.

THE BIG CLIMATE STORY OUTSIDE THE REGION- King Charles will deliver COP28’s opening address: King Charles has accepted UAE President Mohamed Al-Nahyan’s invite to COP28 and will be delivering the opening speech for the climate summit this month, according to a Buckingham Palace statement released yesterday. The British monarch – who has been a climate advocate for over five decades — previously delivered the opening address at COP26 in Glasgow and COP21 in Paris. King Charles will also attend a reception to kickoff the inaugural COP28 Business and Philanthropy Climate Forum.

The news made headlines in the international press: Reuters | The Guardian | CNN | Bloomberg

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OVER IN COPLAND- Biden a no-show at COP28? US President Joe Biden is unlikely to attend the COP28 climate summit launching in the UAE at the end of this month, Reuters reports, citing two US officials and a third source briefed on the event’s planning. However, the sources stressed that the US president’s schedule should not be considered final until it is officially announced. Biden attended both COP26 and COP27, but announced his attendance to the latter just two weeks prior to the event.

What’s the hold-up? Biden’s advisors are weighing up the president’s priorities at a time where the country is heavily involved in the events unfolding in the Middle East, grappling with a Republican-controlled House of Representatives over federal spending, and working on an upcoming presidential campaign expected to heat up in January, Reuters writes.

A no-show could lose Biden votes: If Biden decides to skip the climate summit, he may be missing out on a chance to win votes from the US’ young and liberal demographic — who consider the climate change issue a top national priority — at the upcoming 2024 presidential elections. Biden’s absence would also mean a missed opportunity to meet with Arab and world leaders to discuss the war in Gaza, especially after a planned summit in Jordan was canceled this month.

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WATCH THIS SPACE- ISA supports African renewables projects: India-led International Solar Alliance (ISA) is set to extend a USD 35 mn financing package supporting solar energy projects, mainly in Africa, ABC News reports. The financing package — which will reportedly see India contribute USD 25 mn and the ISA itself channel USD 10 mn — would mainly support the development of mini grids and rooftop installations, the news outlet quotes ISA Director General Ajay Mathur as saying. Beneficiaries of the program from our neck of the woods are likely member countries Sudan, Egypt, and Tunisia. The ISA previously said it aims to raise USD 100 mn for a solar financing program that would act as a payment guarantee mechanism to spur investments in solar energy in Africa. ISA president R. K. Singh said Africa “has not been able to leverage its [solar power] potential” due to a lack of investments, according to ABC News.

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HELP SUPPORT GAZANS-

Want to support relief efforts in Gaza, but don’t know how? We’ve got you. More than a mn people in Gaza have been thrown from their homes and every human being there lacks access to food, water, and fuel amid the most intense bombardment any population has endured this century. The charities we’re listing below are Egyptian organizations working on Gaza relief that we think you can trust if you want to make a donation.

#1- Egyptian Red Crescent Society is one of the nation’s leading providers of humanitarian and emergency medical services. The Egypt Red Crescent accepts donations in EGP online and is on Fawry with the service code 99981. You can also donate to the organization through this Banque du Caire account: 49/403/30 (EGP) or 1065/601/30 (USD — code: BCAIEGCX030).

#2- Egyptian Food Bank: The food bank has launched “Aid Gaza,” a hunger-relief campaign to supply essential food items to the people of Gaza. You can make an online donation through EFB’s website or the unified bank account number 888777 at every bank in Egypt. Do you live abroad? The EFB has a list of its verified accounts at major institutions (along with account numbers) here.

#3- The Mersal Foundation is a non-profit medical organization running medical aid convoys to Gaza. It is on Fawry using service code 9200 or you can donate through its EGP accounts at major national banks including CIB (100034654454), Banque Misr (5450001000003297), Emirates NBD (1019409332701), National Bank of Egypt (1953071376769426268), AAIB (1015996610010201), QNB (7352031181714268). The group lists other ways you can donate on its Facebook page.

#4- Lifemakers: The NGO, which has a record of providing medical, educational and social care services to Palestinians, has been helping to prepare aid convoys ahead of dispatch to deliver food, medical supplies, water, blankets, clothing, and other essentials to the besieged Gaza strip since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war. Donate through the foundation’s website or use Fawry code 950. Lifemakers also accepts donations for Gaza relief in EGP via CIB (account 100034226827) and NBE (0773070478998401017).

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CIRCLE YOUR CALENDAR-

Turkey will host the GCC-Türkiye Economic Forum from Saturday 11 November to Monday, 13 November in Istanbul. The forum aims to bring together key ministers and state officials from the Gulf countries and Turkey to explore areas of potential investments and commercial ties and to establish a network for joint projects in the energy, defense, banking, retail, and transportation sectors. The event is organized by the Gulf Research Center and Turkey’s International Cooperation Platform.

The UAE will host the MENA Solar Conference from Wednesday, 15 November to Saturday, 18 November in Dubai. The event will focus on all things photovoltaic, with a full programme on PV materials and devices, future technologies, PV reliability, and forecasting for performance assessment. The conference will also touch on how developments in system operations, concentrated solar power, and grid integration are necessary for the green transition. This will be the first scientific and technical conference specializing in solar energy systems in the region.

The UAE will host the Aviation and Alternative Fuels conference from Monday, 20 November to Friday, 24 November in Dubai. The event will bring together senior government officials and international organizations to assess progress in the development and deployment of sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) and lower-carbon aviation fuel (LCAF) measured according to the targets outlined in the 2050 Vision for SAF, agreed upon at the last Aviation and Alternative Fuels conference in 2017.

The UAE will host the Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW) from Monday, 27 November to Thursday, 30 November in Abu Dhabi. The event will gather government officials, banks, financial institutions, and VCs to delve into today’s economic, technological, and sustainability conversations.

Check out our full calendar on the web for a comprehensive listing of upcoming news events, national holidays and news triggers.

The first phase of Oman’s cross-country interconnector project is live: The sultanate’s national grid operator The Oman Electricity Transmission Company (OETC) has kicked off operations on an OMR 372 mn (c. USD 966.4 mn) interconnector project spanning 670 km from the north of the country to the south, Oman Daily Observer reports. The project — which will include five grid stations connected by overhead transmission lines — will prepare Oman for the transition to renewables, the news outlet reports.

The details: The new interconnector extends from the Al Dhahirah Governorate in the west of Oman to the Duqm Special Economic Zone in Al Wusta Governorate in the south with a total power capacity of 400 KV, the news outlet notes. The interconnector is set to pave the way for renewable energy distribution from planned solar and wind projects in the Al Wusta Governorate, and is the first phase of a project aiming to connect Oman’s two standalone grids and form a unified national network.

More to come: OETC is reportedly looking to launch the second phase of the North-South Interconnection Project — which will span 502 km and extend from Duqm to Dhofar — before year’s end. The project is also expected to have the same 400 KV transmission capacity, but the news outlet did not provide an expected price tag for phase two. According to a five-year annual transmission capability statement released last May, OETC has a dozen other transmission projects in the design phase, including 400 KV, 220 KV, and 132 KV grid stations.

All part of OETC’s renewables push: The majority state-owned firm plans to link as much as 2.6 GW of renewable energy to its transmission grid by 2027 through planned clean energy projects, the statement noted at the time. These include a 1 GW solar IPP project in Manah that will be completed in 2Q 2024 and go online in 2025, the 500 MW Ibri III Solar IPP to be connected to the transmission grid by 1Q 2026, and another 500 MW solar IPP proposed in the Al Kamil area by 2Q 2027. Oman’s fuel diversification policy aims to have 30% of generation output from renewable energy sources by 2030 and to reach 39% by 2040 under the country’s 2050 net-zero target.

Neom and BlueNalu sign MoU on food sustainability: KSA’s net zero city Neom has entered into a partnership with US-based food tech company BlueNalu to partner on sustainable and secure food ecosystems by promoting cell-cultivated seafood, according to a statement. The agreement covers advancing the commercialization, marketing, and distribution of BlueNalu’s cell-cultured seafoods regionally and conducting consumer research. Neom has invested USD 20 mn to support BlueNalu in scaling their operations and commercializing sustainable seafood practices globally.

What is cell-cultured seafood, Enterprise? Like cell-cultivated meats, cell-cultivated seafood is a form of lab-grown protein. It is made directly from fish cells that are fed a mixture of nutrients to multiply. The cells then are concentrated and form seafood portions.

About BlueNalu: The California-based company is an innovator in cell-based seafood products and aims to support the sustainability and diversity of oceanic ecosystems globally. BlueNalu announced that it was expanding into the Asia-Pacific region earlier this month, and its partnership with Neom marks its regional debut.

The region is on board with lab-grown proteins: The UAE’s Switch Foods kicked off operations on its new alternative protein production factory in Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa’s Industrial Zone last May. Qatari Doha Venture Capital also partnered with Eat Just on a USD 200 mn cultivated-meat facility in Qatar’s Umm Alhoul Freezone. The Oman Investment Authority (OIA) also agreed to set up a JV with MycoTech to use the natural sugar present in dates as carbon to fuel the production of mushroom-based protein.

Marafiq reports a 39% y-o-y drop in 3Q: Saudi's utility firm Marafiq recorded a 39.2% y-o-y fall in net income in 3Q to SAR 188 mn, according to a Tadawul filing. The company attributed its drop in net income to an increase in financing costs and a decrease in the company's operating revenues. Revenues also saw a 3.78% y-o-y drop to SAR 1.7 bn.

3Q 2023 fared better than 2Q: The company reported a 17.9% bottom line increase from 2Q and its top line rose 6.68% from SAR 1.5 bn.

What drove the growth: The increase in net income is due to a 6.86% growth in the company's operating revenues, a drop in the zakat, tax provision, and general and administrative expenses.

About Marafiq: Marafiq is the power and water utility company for the Saudi cities of Jubail and Yanbu. It has core businesses in seawater cooling, desalination, and waste treatment and management.

Morocco and Jordan will test new MIT smart irrigation tech: The Global Engineering and Research (Gear) Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has built a low-cost, solar-powered irrigation system to reduce water waste in agriculture, according to a statement. The drip irrigation system delivers water and nutrients in controlled volumes directly to plant roots, helping to reduce water use by 20% to 60% compared to normal irrigation methods. The tech will be field tested in Morocco, Jordan, and Kenya, the statement notes.

These tech advances are in high demand: The global demand for fresh water will outstrip supply by as much as 40% by the end of the decade, with nearly 80% of the world’s 570 mn farms located in water-stressed regions, the statement notes.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• The UAE and Lootah talk biofuels production: The UAE’s Energy and Infrastructure Ministry held talks with Dubai-based alternative fuels producer Lootah Biofuels to explore pathways to expanding the Emirates’ biogas production volumes. (Statement)
• ADB pumps USD 350 mn into Egypt: The African Development Bank (ADB) plans to fund Egyptian private and public sector projects with up to USD 350 mn by the end of the year. The funding will go to projects in the infrastructure and energy sectors. (Al Sharq Business)

Toyota invests USD 8 bn in its US battery plant: Toyota is investing an additional USD 8 bn in Toyota Battery Manufacturing North Carolina (TBMNC), bringing total investments in the plant to around USD 13.9 bn, according to a statement. The funds will go to adding eight battery production lines to the plant for EV batteries and plug-in hybrid EVs and four battery lines for hybrid EVs. The lines will be launched through 2030 and have a capacity of around 30 GWh annually. “Today’s announcement reinforces Toyota’s commitment to electrification and carbon reduction, bringing jobs and future economic growth to the region,” president of Toyota North Carolina Sean Suggs said in the statement.

A desert shrub can serve as blueprint for water-collection tech: A desert plant native to the UAE has the ability to extract and condense water from the humid and foggy atmosphere through salts it excretes, a process that can be used as a blueprint for the development of new technologies for water harnessing and cloud seeding, according to a statement.

The findings: A team of scientists at NYU Abu Dhabi’s Smart Materials Lab and NYU Abu Dhabi Institute’s Center for Smart Engineering Materials (CSEM) have published research (pdf) that studies the salt-tolerant Tamarix aphylla’s ability to absorb saline water from the soil through its roots, filters out the salt, and expels the concentrated salt solution onto the outer surface of its leaves. It is the salt crystals that are left behind after the solution evaporates that have the ability to attract moisture from the air, even when the humidity levels are reasonably low (55% relative humidity). The plant then absorbs the moisture that condenses onto the surface of the plant's leaves, helping it thrive in the water-scarce desert and hypersaline sands.

Why is this important? By understanding the morpho physiological traits (biological interrelationships between form and function) that plants and animals use to survive arid and salty weather, scientists can find ways to mimic those mechanisms and take advantage of the abundant, untapped sources of water from fog and dew. The findings could “open prospects for designing environmentally benign formulations based on a biogenic salt mixture that could be used for efficient harvesting of aerial water or cloud seeding at low humidity,” post-doctoral associate and lead author of the research Marieh Al-Handawi said.

Our water-stressed region would benefit greatly: With increased demand for water in parallel with growing drought conditions in the Middle East region, finding alternative sources of fresh water will be crucial for establishing climate resilience and adaptation, and all eyes are on emerging technologies to fill the gap. These technologies would help mitigate a predicted loss of 6% to 14% of the region’s GDP because of water scarcity by 2050, according to a World Bank report.

REMEMBER- The UAE is looking to bank on cloud seeding to secure more water resources: The UAE launched a month-long campaign in partnership with US-based cloud physics experts Stratton Park Engineering Company last August to gather crucial data for its cloud-seeding initiative Cloudix. Back in 2015, the UAE set up a research center to support new tech developments in the field. The center has funded 11 projects, including one focused on the use of nanotechnology to develop cloud seeding materials.