ELECTRIC VEHICLES-

KSA’s PIF and SEC rebrand their EV infrastructure firm: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund the Public Investment Fund (PIF) and the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) have rebranded their JV Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Company to EVIQ, SPA reported yesterday. EVIQ — which is 75% owned by PIF and 25% owned by SEC — aims to set up over 5k fast chargers in over 1k locations in cities across KSA. It will also explore collaboration with EV companies by providing required charging stations, and promote private sector participation in the development of its network of charging stations and support the localization of R&D and manufacturing.

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Adnoc Distribution will ramp up the rollout of EV charging points next year and plans to operate 50 of them — 12 more than it currently operates — by year end, Adnoc Distribution's CEO Bader Al Lamki told The National on Friday. The company will focus on installing charging points on highways to meet higher demand and plans to supply biofuel to its business-to-business (B2B) customers.

DIG DEEPER- Adnoc Distribution partnered with Abu Dhabi National Energy Company (Taqa) in January to establish the E2GO joint venture to build and operate electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure in the UAE. The UAE's largest fuel retailer also announced last month that it will use biofuel to power its heavy vehicle fleet.

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UAE’s Eanan trials first locally made eVTOL: Emirati green tech company Eanan began a flight testing campaign for the first Emirati-manufactured autonomous electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, according to a statement released last week. The self-driving, zero-carbon multicopter will carry both cargo and passengers and is manufactured in Dubai’s Mohammed Bin Rashid Aerospace Hub, the statement notes. The company will debut its S-120 and S-700 eVTOLs at the Dubai Airshow, which kicks off today. The S-120 has a one-hour/30 km flight range with a flying speed of 60 km per hour and can carry a 50 kg payload capacity. The S-700 heavy cargo eVTOL has a 700 kg maximum take-off weight with a 200 kg payload capacity.

DESALINATION-

Morocco’s OCP secures green loan to boost desalination efforts: Moroccan state-owned fertilizer and phosphate company OCP Group has secured a USD 18.3 mn green concessional loan from the Canada-African Development Bank Climate Fund (CACF) to expand its desalination efforts in Africa, according to a statement released last week. This is the first doll out of a USD 36.3 mn loan, with the first USD 18 mn portion aimed at supporting rehabilitation and expansion efforts at Port Autonome de Cotonou in Benin, the statement notes. The second USD 18 mn loan will be earmarked for the development of three desalination plants in Morocco. The green facilities reflect a joint effort between Canada and the African Development Bank to finance “eligible climate change projects in Africa,” the statement notes.

OCP has been busy on the desalination front: The company inaugurated the first phase of its 35 mn cubic meters (cbm) per year Safi desalination plant in Morocco last August. The plant’s output will serve OCP’s industrial needs and provide drinking water to the Safi and El Jadida neighborhoods, with the first phase set to produce 10 cbm annually.

OTHER STORIES WORTH KNOWING ABOUT THIS MORNING-

• Beeah, SIRC, Almqr team up on waste management: The UAE's Beeah, Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), and Al-Maqar Development Company (Almqr) have signed an agreement to establish a company to develop and provide integrated waste management solutions in Madinah, KSA. (Wam)
• IFFCO earmarks mns towards sustainability-linked: UAE-based FMCG firm IFFCO has earmarked AED 77 mn toward its corporate ESG strategy with 156 projects in the pipeline. The company — which established the plant-based meat alternative brand Thryve back in January — has set a target of slashing 17% of its Scope 1 and 2 emissions from 2021 levels by 2025, and plans to lay out its corporate climate action strategy for 2030 at COP28. (Statement)
• ImpactGulf launches 71 Climate Heroes initiative: UAE carbon accounting and climate consultancy ImpactGulf has launched its 71 Climate Heroes initiative, which aims to help Emirati-based SMEs measure their emission reduction. (Statement)