(MENAFN - Arab News) The German Embassy will join three other organizations in holding for the first time an exhibition of the German Energy Agency (DENA) on renewable energies in the key cities of the Kingdom.
The 18th annual conference of the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is to be held in Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah from Monday through Dec. 7.
It will be held at the Intercontinental Hotel in Riyadh Monday through Nov. 28. It will then be held in Dammam on Nov. 30-Dec. 2 and in Jeddah on Dec. 5-7.
"We are willing to set an example in climate protection. Renewable energy has evolved into a highly innovative sector in Germany," said German Ambassador Dieter Haller in a statement.
Andreas Hergenroether, delegate of German industry and commerce in Saudi Arabia and Yemen, said: "German economy is internationally well-known as world leader in the first of green technologies and innovative concepts."
GESALO said that Germany is like no other major industrialized country committed to building up a significant energy-generating capacity based on renewable energies.
It said in a statement: "The exhibition will give an insight into the German renewable energy philosophy. Almost 20 percent of electricity in Germany is now produced from renewable sources."
Given the abundance of solar energy in the region, solar power is among the most important of the "renewable energy" alternatives being promoted by Saudi Arabia."
The Kingdom has announced an ambitious goal of reaching 41GW of solar power generation capacity by 2032 (25GW of concentrated solar power (CSP) and 16GW of Photovoltaics). A 9GW wind energy capacity is also being envisaged. Building up energy generation capacity will be a major field of investment in the future.
GESALO also said that renewable energies are not only a factor in combating climate change and its consequences such as extreme weather events but can also help save mineral resources as raw materials for the petrochemical industry rather than use them in power generation.
Renewable energies can also contribute to diversifying industry and create jobs.
The other exhibitors include the Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG), Green Gulf and the German-Saudi Arabian Liaison Office for Economic Affairs in Riyadh (GESALO).
GESALO said that Intercontinental Hotels Group is committed to contribute its share to more sustainability and energy efficiency in its operations. The group has set itself several goals under its corporate responsibility program and will further develop and expand its "green engage" program all over the world to at least 50 percent of its estate, and make it easier to use for participating hotels.
