Shandong Tiejun Electric Power Engineering delivers better quality of life to desert tourism area

The world record-breaking project provides reliable and clean utilities for residents and visitors, as well as training and development of the local workforce.

For delivering an exceptional and comprehensive solution that addressed the critical utility needs of a resource-constrained environment, Shandong Tiejun Electric Power Engineering Company Ltd was recognised as Saudi Arabia Team of the Year - Energy in the Middle East Management Excellence Awards 2025.

In search of a sustainable, resilient energy supply

The Redsea Utility Assets and Infrastructure Project is an ambitious undertaking central to the Red Sea Project, a development initiative that aims to regenerate tourism on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast.

The project team was responsible for the integrated development of a combined sustainable, resilient, and efficient energy supply to meet the essential needs of the entire destination. To achieve this goal, the project aimed for 100% renewable energy, zero waste, and minimal environmental impact by integrating advanced technologies and a unique public-private partnership model.

In addition, successfully managing the complex project involving diverse technologies and multiple stakeholders required strong leadership and effective collaboration across different engineering disciplines, environmental considerations, and regulatory bodies.

Holistic solution

The project team came up with a Guinness World Record-breaking renewable energy solution that combined over 340 MWac of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for clean energy generation and 1,000 to 1,200 MWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) for energy storage and grid stabilisation. Moreover, biodiesel (B100) was selected to run internal combustion engines for a less carbon-intensive backup.

This power generation infrastructure solution was combined with a holistic solution that included seawater reverse osmosis for water desalination, a district cooling plant, and an integrated waste management facility for wastewater treatment for a forward-thinking and efficient approach.

Improved quality of life for residents and visitors

The fully off-grid, 100% renewable energy project sets a global benchmark for sustainable tourism destinations, with the reduced reliance on purely fossil fuel-based energy projected to result in zero direct carbon emissions—equivalent to nearly half a million tons annually—from the destination's operations.

The desalination system processes 32,500 cubic metres of potable water daily, providing a steady source of drinking water in the area. In addition, a total of 18,315 cubic metres of wastewater is treated daily, minimising harmful discharges and lessening the reliance on fresh water, whilst potentially creating over 20 acres of new wetland habitats.

Meanwhile, the two energy-efficient plants delivered a total of 32,500 Refrigeration Tons capacity, about 30% to 50% less than traditional systems, which is critical in a desert climate.

The operation of these advanced utility systems will require training and development of a skilled workforce, benefitting the local population.

This tourism project is Saudi Arabia's first public-private utility partnership and will follow a 25-year build-own-operate-transfer scheme, paving the way for more private sector participation in the kingdom’s Vision 2030.

The Middle East Management Excellence Awards, presented by Asian Business Review, is a prestigious awards programme that recognises the most outstanding business leaders in the region. It also honours companies with exceptional employee engagement and diversity & inclusion initiatives.

The Middle East Management Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2026 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Danica Avila at [email protected].