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The world needs hydrocarbons, says Saudi energy minister

The minister said that reducing all greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors has been the kingdom's goal.

The world needs hydrocarbons, says Saudi energy minister
[Source photo: Anvita Gupta/Fast Company Middle East]

There is no one path but several routes — local, national, regional, and international — to achieve net zero, said Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman during an event in Riyadh.

He was speaking at the 44th International Association for Energy Economics conference, organized by King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center and the Saudi Association for Energy Economics, held under the theme Pathways to a Clean, Stable, and Sustainable Energy Future.

The minister noted that net zero is a possibility with group efforts and comprehensive solutions.

According to Prince Abdulaziz, the kingdom is attempting sequestration or removing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

“We are reaching out to everybody around the globe, trying to market our hydrogens. We will move by producing electricity, converting it to hydrogen.” He added that hydrocarbons, not fossil fuels, are what the world needs.

“We have a proven record on methane emission. Let me see who is going to match us. We will produce, we will continue to produce, we will be the last man standing,” he added.

He said that reducing all greenhouse gas emissions across all sectors has been the kingdom’s goal. Using clean energy to cook or prepare meals for the underprivileged was one of Prince Abdulaziz’s topics of discussion.

In addition to exploring how the energy landscape is changing, the conference gives academics, the scientific community, corporations, and governments a chance to evaluate ideas and strategies to help us succeed in the long run in a low-carbon future.

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