His Royal Highness Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Energy, opened the 12th edition of the Smart Grids Conference in Riyadh, held under the theme "Energy and Sustainability." The conference explores the challenges and opportunities of integrating renewable energy sources into the power grid, improving energy-consumption efficiency, and driving innovation in energy storage.

Opening remarks: digital transformation underpins the future of energy

In his opening address, the Energy Minister said smart grid technologies are a central pillar in achieving sustainable energy transformation, both globally and locally. He highlighted the Kingdom's achievements in this area, noting that more than 11 million smart meters have been installed since 2021, enabling consumers to track their usage instantly through smart apps and make informed decisions about rationalizing electricity consumption.

He also pointed to efforts to automate 40% of distribution networks by 2025, with 32% of that target achieved so far, alongside plans to establish nine advanced control centers by 2026 to monitor the grid and improve its efficiency using the latest technologies.

Energy storage systems to keep pace with renewables

The prince addressed the challenges climate change poses for renewable sources such as solar and wind, affirming that the ministry is developing battery-based energy storage solutions, with a plan to reach storage capacity of 48 gigawatt-hours by 2030.

Strengthening the stability and efficiency of the national grid

The Energy Minister said the national electricity grid, the largest in the Middle East and Africa, is undergoing continuous improvements, including the development of flexible transmission systems and the expansion of transmission and distribution networks to reduce losses and boost energy exchange. He also noted the establishment of five advanced control centers that help strengthen the grid's resilience and security.

Conference activities: collaboration and innovation for the future

The conference's first day saw the signing of several agreements and memorandums of understanding supporting energy innovation, alongside the honoring of winners of the "Energy Hackathon," in which more than 60 participants presented innovative solutions to challenges in energy storage, efficiency and sustainability.

Over its three days, the conference is set to discuss more than 40 scientific papers covering the latest innovations in smart grids and their role in advancing digital sustainability, along with a review of private-sector partnership opportunities.