For better or worse, NEOM is here to stay in the Extreme E world. Two days after becoming the title sponsor of McLaren‘s XE and Formula E teams and four months since the 2022 season opener took place there, its ENOWA energy division signed a multi-year deal with Extreme E itself to become the series’ “Official Green Hydrogen Power Partner”. The new partnership also paves the way for ENOWA to have increased involvement when Extreme E launches the Extreme H hydrogen championship in 2024.
NEOM is a megaproject billed as a Saudi “eco-city” that hopes to expand the country’s public sector and improve it environmental record through futuristic and environmentally friendly living spaces. ENOWA was formed in March to provide water and energy to NEOM’s residents and infrastructure such as OXAGON, a port and development complex with a research campus housing McLaren XE’s Accelerator programme, to the point where all aspects of NEOM are fully powered by renewable resources.
“This partnership with ENOWA marks a further step in our mission for a more sustainable future,” said Extreme E head Alejandro Agag. “The work undertaken by ENOWA is extremely ambitious and an exciting prospect. NEOM, much like ourselves, pushes the boundaries of environmental sustainability and we are delighted to be partnering with ENOWA to go even further in our objective to raise awareness of the climate crisis.
“ENOWA plans to lead the development of world-class, sustainable energy, water and hydrogen systems which I am sure will become a reference point in the future, and our series will also benefit from this greater focus on technology and innovation.”
When NEOM completes the early phases of construction by 2025, among the developments is the world’s largest green hydrogen production plant, ownership of which will be split three ways between ENOWA, ACWA Power, and Air Products. Other green hydrogen plants are also planned.
“Business decisions in NEOM have sustainability at their core which is why we are delighted to partner with Extreme E,” commented ENOWA CEO Peter Terium. “Our partnership is aimed towards both creating visibility to the most urgent problems the planet is facing but at the same time demonstrating solutions that deliver meaningful impact. Together we can accelerate innovations in clean technologies powered by green hydrogen, contributing to hydrogen mobility markets and the future of global decarbonisation.”