Is Saudi Arabia really quitting oil?

Saudi Arabia has ambitious green energy goals, aiming to go carbon neutral by 2060. But what does that mean for their fossil-fuel production? Well, the Kingdom is aiming to have its cake and eat it too.

#SaudiArabia #FossilFuels #renewableenergy #planeta

Disclaimer: After our deadline in April 2024, reports emerged that Saudi officials had greatly reduced the proposed size of The Line for budgetary reasons. At the time of publishing, those reports have not been officially confirmed.

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Credits:
Reporter: Janek Speight
Video Editor: Neven Hillebrands
Supervising Editor: Malte Rohwer-Kahlmann
Factcheck: Jeannette Cwienk
Thumbnail: Em Chabridon

Read more:
Saudi plan to artificially raise oil demand:

Saudi Arabia's giga-projects:

Karim Elgendy:

Jim Krane:

Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:10 Birth of an oil nation
02:28 Clean energy goals
08:05 True intentions

[DWPlanetA]

What do you think of Saudi Arabia's strategy?

[VS]

To quit oil, they'll need to stop spending insane amounts of money on silly things like the "line".

[ChloeCarter-kdgz]

The Asian bling or display of wealth seems to be the most elaborate of all races. It's mind-blowing sometimes the extent they get to.

[ian]

You've said it all: It's an extremely wasteful nation with a huge energy demand to sustain life. Desalination not only requires enourmous amounts of energy, it also produces tons of salt that cause ecological harm when just discharged into the sea (as the Saudi's are doing). Additionally, producing your own energy in a "clean" way, while still increasing oil exports, is just a fascade.

[yamasaa]

I'd like to see them turn the whole peninsula green, now that would be epic

[MrTomtomtest]

You know what is more expensive than building a project like the line ?
.... Maintenance over some years... The part most politicians never mention.

[kennethuyabeme]

My question is why are all the projects so ridiculous massive? why not aim for things based on grounded science and engineering? Generating 30% of your power from renewables, making homes energy efficient, investing in efficient and reliable public transportation projects nation wide.

[a.g.]

Given that oil is the only thing of value they have...

[christianheichel]

They have shrunk Neom to just a few percent if its original plan for now.

[Kylelongwest]

Back in high school, i remember us worrying about the depletion of fossil fuel since it's a non renewable energy, and we need it for virtually everything. Now that the world shifts greatly toward renewable energy, the tone changed, we care less about it running out, we care more about its impacts on the environment. This is a huge progression happening Infront of our eyes, and I'm optimistic about the future.

[brandonhunter]

The way MBS did Kashoggi is a huge no go. Saudi Arabia can eventually recover from that but not that MF. Rest in power Kashoggi.

[momohnyaley]

Its a bad idead to build a city in a straight line

[zknowmuch]

Now do the: Is Germany really quitting Coal ?

[sherkhan]

First, we need to educate these Saudis to stop exploiting workers from South Asia by withholding their wages. In many cases, workers do not receive their rightful pay after completing their work for a Saudi employer. A 'Kafeel' or sponsor may take your money and ensure the renewal of your Iqama (residence permit), but later, he will abscond with your hard-earned wages without any repercussions. This exploitation is often supported by Saudi laws.
I'm one out of many, who is looted by the Saudi sponsor.

[PotentialExergy]

In April 2024, the project's goal was modified again to be 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) long, representing a 98.6% reduction in its length. This scale back is likely due to the Saudi government's inability to attract foreign investments in the project and the nation's dependence on oil prices.

[abeeceedee]

Investing in a country that lacks a democratic constitutional framework poses significant risks for foreign investors, effectively making it an unfavorable option. Investors are subject to the caprices of an authoritarian regime rather than the predictability of democratically enacted laws, which are upheld by the separation of legislative and judicial powers.

[ahmeddesai]

let's not forget that one of the reasons that MBS had Khashoggi chopped up into tiny pieces is that he went on Al Jazeera and said that the cost of this project which is not allowed and scrutiny and criticism has the potential to ruin Saudi Arabia

[martin_]

About Carbon Capture - German Tried in in Spremberg, that is the result (source:wikipedia article Schwarze_Pumpe_power_station) :
On 26 May 2006, construction started on an oxy-fuel combustion process carbon capture and storage pilot plant in the Black Pump industrial area. With a thermal power of 30 MW, the plant burned coal with pure oxygen (nitrogen-free) gas, replacing air in what is known as oxy-fuel combustion. The idea was that the resulting carbon dioxide would be compressed and liquefied. It would then be put into geologic formations and stored so as not to contribute to global warming. The aim of the plant wasn't to produce electricity but to produce steam, which would then be used by nearby industries.

Vattenfall stopped carbon capture research and development at the plant in 2014 because they found that "its costs and the energy it requires make the technology unviable."[2]

[mariomovillon]

Big ambitions, Big words, Big Egos, Big Fails! Grand plans in paper and creative video renderings, until Reality brings in the rude awakenings! When sheer stupidity overtakes sound wisdom and common sense, the likelihood of failures become more evident.

[fornoeyesonly]

They were founded on oil. They made there mark with oil. Oil is their life. Oil is where it will stay!